Kenya Tuna Uwezo

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What is Kenya Tuna Uwezo?

USAID/Kenya’s Tuna Uwezo (Kiswahili for “We have the power!”) program aims to reduce politically motivated conflict in the informal settlements of Kiambio, Kibera, Mathare, Korogocho, and Babadogo in Nairobi. The program strengthens community and civil society social networks and promotes collaboration on community issues and resolution of community grievances.  

Project Duration and Budget

March 2012 – March 2014
$1.2 million

Who implements Kenya Tuna Uwezo?

CHF International
www.chfinternational.org

Kituo Cha Sheria (Center for Legal Empowerment)
http://www.kituochasheria.or.ke

PeaceNet-Kenya

Where does Kenya Tuna Uwezo work?

In Nairobi’s Kiambio, Kibera, Mathare, Korogocho, and Babadogo informal settlements .

What does Kenya Tuna Uwezo do?

The Kenya Tuna Uwezo project is designed to reduce ethnic and politically-motivated conflict in the informal settlements of Nairobi. It creates opportunities and for cooperative action among conflicting groups in Nairobi’s informal settlements.

Strengthening social networks
The project is initiating dialogue on shared concerns among at-risk groups in order to build relationships, increase trust, and create lines of communication vital to promoting and sustaining peace.

Civic education
A key project component is to expand knowledge of the 2010 Constitution to empower marginalized communities to engage their leaders in making informed decisions. It is also supporting civic education and addressing common community concerns to support community-led responses to internal issues and conflicts.

Capacity building
Kenya Tuna Uwezo is developing the technical and organizational capacity of community based organizations and officials, ensuring the sustainability of program activities, and is training community leaders and groups to work effectively with one another across ethnic lines.

How is Kenya Tuna Uwezo making a difference?

Community organizations and officials will more quickly recognize and be able to manage conflicts that occur within settlements.

Citizens will better understand their rights and responsibilities, and be more aware of opportunities provided to Kenyans under the new Constitution.

Peace-building events, such as road shows, will attract a wide and diverse audience and will stress the importance of national and community cohesion.

What key challenges does Kenya Tuna Uwezo face?

Residents of Nairobi’s informal settlements are divided by ethnic, religious, and cultural differences. High levels of unemployment, especially among youth, lack of access to basic services, and economic marginalization have resulted in periodic flare-ups of political and ethnic conflict—with an especially damaging episode taking place following Kenya’s  2007 election. With upcoming elections in 2013, Kenya Tuna Uwezo is working to promote non-violent methods of conflict resolution.  

Kenya Tuna Uwezo in action

In spite of numerous challenges, a number of Kibera residents are joining forces to empower themselves to create the conditions for peace and unity.
Lucy Rabera Omwando is one of those motivated to change her community for the better. Lucy is part of a women’s self-help organization called Kibera Women for Peace and Fairness that was born in the wake of the post-election violence four years ago.
At the July 2012 project launch, Lucy said, “I’m here because I love peace. I remember the last election-immediately after the winner was announced I could hear screaming and shouting. My baby was only two months old at the time. Neighbors were fighting each other. I didn’t know what to do, we were so scared.”

Lucy and her family fled to the shelter of a nearby police station as her community literally went up in flames. Before the violence broke out, she had run a small stall where she sold maize—when the fighting subsided and she was able to venture out she found the stall destroyed and her maize supply looted. In the years since, Lucy has struggled to put her life back together with four children and a husband who is unemployed. She joined Kibera Women for Peace and Fairness and found strength and respect in her community along with training in conflict mediation; now her neighbors look to her to assist with family and neighborhood issues. “I want everyone to work for peace, and I know we can accomplish it if we work together. We are all in the same boat and will rise or fall together.”

 For more information:

www.chfkenya.org

Selline Korir, Director
Kenya Tuna Uwezo Program
CHF International/ Kenya
Tel: +254 (20) 2101312/3
Email: skorir@chfkenya.org

Monica Azimi, AOR
USAID/Kenya
Office of Democracy and Governance
Tel: +254-20-862-2005
Email: mazimi@usaid.gov