Kenya Activities

JCCP is currently involved in three projects in Kenya

1) Support for Internally Displaced People
Since 2008, Mai Mahiu, a city in the Rift Valley situated some 60 kilometers from Nairobi, has been hit by arson riots, resulting in an enormous loss of homes and land. Many families have been forced to move from the area in search of a new live and peace.
These people have no choice but to live in tents too flimsy to withstand the rain and strong winds from the surrounding mountains. Furthermore, the land is so dry that even if they build wells, it is almost impossible to create a sufficient water supply system. JCCP is working to support these people and give them a new chance of a life, and in April 2008 helped to build water facilities in 787 areas, providing fresh water to around 3800 people.

2) Psychological Care for women and children in slum areas
As a result of the violence in Kenya, the slums were arguably the most severely hit. In particular, the Mathare Slums in Nairobi, with a population of around 4 million, suffered large scale riots during the post-election violence of 2007, resulting in the burning of 505 houses and many women and children being subject to rape.
Although the conflict may be over, there is almost no support system in place for the people left with the scars of having experienced or witnessed these atrocities first hand.

JCCP conducted research in April 2008 and has since organized community councilors for the inhabitants and a care system aimed especially at woman and children. In addition to this, medical systems are in place for those who have contracted HIV/AIDS as a result of sexual abuse.

3) In 2008 JCCP began a new project together with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to enforce the current peace-building and conflict prevention activities taking place in the NGOs of nine East African Countries. The aim of this project is to provide the grass-roots inhabitants of these countries with skills so that in the future they will be able to maintain peace in their respective societies without foreign assistance. Up until May of last year, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Belize and the Democratic Republic of Congo aid training took place for each country’s future peace leaders, peace-building research materials were prepared, and publishing facilities were put in place.

One hundred houses provided for Internally Displaced Persons

In Naivasha Province, Southern Kenya, the relocation of post-conflict internally displaced persons is in progress. Of the one hundred houses that are to be provided until March 2010, fifty-five had already been built by the end of 2009, and over 275 people have already moved to a new home that will shelter them from wind and rain.

This project is supported by the Postal Savings for International Voluntary Aid (Management Organization for Postal Savings and Postal Life Insurance) and donations from several companies. As part of the “IDP Relocation Project” that we have been undertaking since 2009 spring, it aims at supporting those who became internally displaced after the violent conflicts following the 2007 Kenyan Presidential elections.

Our activities include providing of construction material as specified by the Kenyan Government, and also entrusting the building of new houses to the collaborative work of the refugee groups themselves. This way, not only the cost per house is minimized, but also the solidarity of the local people is strengthened, thus building the foundation for a better society in the future.

New householders are grateful for finally taking the first step to relocation, or for finally not having to worry about letting their children sleep on cold ground. We firmly believe this project will serve as a stepping stone to the reintegration and autonomy of ex-IDPs.

Nevertheless, even for relocated Kenyans, the path to full reintegration still has many hardships ahead. Frequently, it is not easy to secure enough water and food for the family. Also, many people still suffer from trauma due to their experiences during the conflict period. Many people had disconnected themselves from society while in such extreme circumstances, and it is not impossible that conflict may recur. That is why JCCP is working both in providing a water supply system as well as psychological care for the victims, as well as promoting the reconciliation of local residents and ex-IDPs, thus contributing for long-lasting peace in Kenyan soil.

Finally, we have been able to provide homes for five families due to the contribution of Ricoh Japan Social Contribution Club “Freewill”, who generously donated 200 thousand yen for our project. We would like to take this opportunity for thank them once again for their support.

As a country of great ethnic diversity, identity is very important to the Kenyan people. For years Kenya’s 42 tribes lived together comfortably without any major peace-threatening disturbances. However, after the December 2007 elections, many disadvantaged areas saw sudden and violent outbreaks of conflict, fuelled by ethnic tensions and growing inequalities between groups. This resulted in the death of over 1000 people and 5 million were forced to become refugees. The post-election violence (PEV) caused not only physical harm and pain to those involved, but also caused far reaching psychological damage. The poorest slum areas in Western Kenya were predominantly affected by the PEV, which gave rise to large scale riots. In addition to this, the Mathare Slums in Nairobi have been subject to urban conflict between rival gangs for many years now, with groups of armed youths terrorizing the inhabitants.