REACHING THE MARGINALIZED: INVEST IN EDUCATION, LIFE SKILLS

Photo COURTESY: Ekai Nabenyo 

There is no doubt that humans have been successful in modifying their surroundings to meet the needs of a rapidly changing population and socio-economic demands. It is now widely acknowledged that to be ahead of others, investment in education is a must. That equipping our populations with knowledge (more importantly life skills) is an indispensable asset.

To continue to live and operate safely, humanity must embrace resilience thinking. Resilience thinking is about generating and sharing increased - (and people-oriented) - knowledge of how we can strengthen the capacity to deal with the stresses caused by changing times, educational/technological inequalities, geographical hardships and historical grievances against perceived government's unresponsiveness and  neglect.

Resilience thinking is about foresight and preempting these stresses and "arming" communities with the necessary tools to secure their future. It is about social re-engineering, that is, making society a leader and designer of its destiny in its totality.

A shift in thinking will create fruitful opportunities - especially for the marginalized - to continue to develop and thrive for generations to come. However, it must be underlined that this shift is inseparable from us. There must be a starting point. We are collectively called upon to designate this point of departure.

Now, let's move straight to the point. I have a big trouble stomaching the big-man-ism and self praise spewed by our NGO friends concerning their interventions in community empowerment, in general and sectoral development, in particular.

Many a times we have seen NGO top-honchos and government functionaries brandishing big data on their respective imprints in community development and future plans of advancing the same.

Severally, they have listed the number of initiatives (schools, boreholes, dispensaries, community centers etc) they birthed and nurtured to completion. 

I personally acknowledge the work done by these entities. However, I have some beef against the philosophical underpinnings in their understanding of "development". There seems to be an unwritten rule that gifting means development.

It is no criminal dishing out goodies to communities. I admit some interventions demand that we dish out goodies to people to respond to a biting need and/or overcome temporal (time) constraints.

What provokes further questioning is the over-dependence on this one-sided response as the only mode of "empowering" communities.

I will confine myself to Turkana County to demonstrate how this one-sided-mentality has enslaved (no pun intended) my people and reduced them to aid-scavengers.

After fifty years of government and NGO presence in Turkana, eighty-five percent of folks over there have no education. For every ten people in Loima constituency, for instance, nine of them are classified as illiterate!

Mark you; this tiny clique of schooled chaps has created an internal marginalization. This in local lingo, refers to the near-divinely control this tiny segment of "enlightened" sons and daughters of the land has over my people.

Now you understand why it is still a daunting task changing things and reaching those at the periphery of socio-econo-political spheres.

One of the main ways in which people shape their future is through the use of their wealth - material or otherwise. As explained above, this wealth assumes its role when there is a demonstrated will to power and extract the best from it.

The hundreds of moneyed NGOs competing for space in Turkana is a clear reason to show that there are many corners to straighten (ostensibly to benefit local communities) or there are many opportunities to "eat" from (to benefit those who pull NGO-strings).

If this is the case should we rest assured that marginalization will be conquered and vanquished any sooner? Methinks no.

Should we maintain our silence in the face of this institutionalized cornering of the people in the name of empowerment and development? A big NO!

Don't we have a different, efficient and tested approach to empower the masses and eventually push them up the socio-economic ladder? Oh YES!

I am for education. I am for life skills. I am not for donating fish to the people. I am for teaching them how to fish for themselves.

You see, we can do this together.

First, map out all the concerned areas. Pinpoint sectoral inadequacies and their corresponding remedies. Propose solutions. Move to the ground and materialize those proposals.

No more lengthy conferences. No need to ship whole communities to posh hotels to learn "development" and "empowerment". No more big-hollow-data. No more use of big incomprehensible lingo while communicating with communities that have hardly stepped in a classroom.

It is about action. People-led action. Time to do this is now. Is the Turkana County Government ready to tackle this?

The only way, in my view, to reaching the marginalized is by investing in education and life skills. Do this now!

Lemukol Ng'asike is an Architect. Email:  lemoseh89@gmail.com. Twitter:  @mlemukol. 

NEEDED: STAND WITH THIS SCHOOL TO MAKE IT STAND

Architectural impression of Kootoro Primary School

On Tuesday, 18 November 2014, we highlighted a story of a primary school devoid of any classrooms and/or learning facilities in Turkana County. We outlined our vision for education in the region, in general and the school's urgent condition, in particular. We signaled the County Government of Turkana of the same with a view to having authorities respond to the cries of the school. (Read story:  http://lemukolwords.blogspot.com/2014/11/mr-governor-build-your-name-by-building.html  )

I personally wrote an email to the County Minister for Education seeking her intervention. Silence reigned.  To date no response has originated from the said authorities.

Mark you, the children of Kootoro Primary School are still learning under trees!

On Friday, 2 January 2015, we again amplified the school's story. At this juncture we underlined the main challenge bedeviling development initiatives in Turkana and parts of Kenya. We thought it would be beneficial for us and for the school-less children of Kenya to embark on a people-led approach as opposed to waiting for apathetic and unresponsive government functionaries. (Read story:  http://lemukolwords.blogspot.com/2015/01/this-school-is-indicative-of-our-socio.html  )

Current state of the school

The initiative started off successfully. So far several entities and persons have contributed towards the construction of Kootoro Primary School. We are getting many ideas from many unknown sources on how to better learning conditions in the said school.

Some volunteers have pledged to conduct a parallel program to raise cash for the kids’ uniforms and books. You see, we are moving ahead. The school is taking shape.

Back to Turkana, the local community is leading from the front. All they ask for is what they can't produce. They are ready "to build a school for their children with all they have. With all they possess." 

This is their message: "Give us what we don't have and we collectively join hands in having this school stand. Stand with us. Stand with our children and humanity shall remain upright. Forever".

I am moved by their resolve. I know deep inside their hearts resides a deep belief that education is the needed tool to move them up socio-econo-political ladder. 

Their wisdom is indispensable. Their hopes stand tall for all to see. It is for this reason that I find it a worthy cause to energize their efforts. We are called upon to materialize their thoughts.

My people, we can do this together. Time to act on their reflections is now. Let's come together and have this school stand. Let's stand with it. Let's stand with its pupils. Let's stand with all those who are standing with it.

Demonstrate your stand by visiting:  https://secure.changa.co.ke/myweb/share/3602 . For MPESA contributions, the school's Head-Teacher can be reached via this number: 0719246277.

                                   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Many thanks to the following persons/entities for turning up: 

1) Mumbi Kaptere - Ksh 18200

2) Ultimate System Decisions -1 - Ksh 1365
3) Claire Bond Kshs - Ksh 2730
4) White Cliffs Music - Kshs 910
5) Jo Graeme kshs - Ksh 1365
6) Ultimate System Decisions -2 - Ksh 1638
7) Dr. Ekuru Aukot - Ksh 14000
8) Mr. Linus Ebenyo- Minister for Tourism and Trade, Turkana County - 20 iron sheets. 

9) Mr. Tioko Logiron - Minister for Roads, Turkana County - pledged to donate iron sheets

The children of Kootoro Primary School are happy to know that you heard their pleas, and you responded accordingly. Be blessed.

Lemukol Ng'asike is an Architect. Email:  lemoseh89@gmail.com. Twitter:  @mlemukol.  

TURKANA'S BIGGEST ENEMY IS ITS APATHETIC PROFESSIONALS

I have severally been asked to explain the interface between pastoral developments, elites' role in advancing the same and (to) provide a vivid description of the extent of intra-community inequalities among pastoral communities in Kenya.

I have confronted many arguments - some outrightly false - on the state of development in Kenya's pastoral lands. Many commentators - most of them natives of the said lands - affirm that the biggest  challenge up there is centrally a climate issue - or simply a natural phenomenon, to borrow their appellation. 

The masses too - partly because they trust their schooled sons and daughters - have swallowed this lie and moved on with it. They have been conditioned to blame natural factors and shift their attention  away from the inadequacies of their sons and daughters. 

Resultant effect? Too much grumbling. Endless lamentations. Too much talk and little action. Defeatism at its best, you see!

While natural phenomenon cannot be wished away, I strongly hold that progress isn't subject to factors that are inherently external. Harsh weather is one such external factor. Not even the loudest lamentation can bring forth the desired positive effect if it's not tinged with reasoning and followed up by concrete action. 

We are tailored, through our many gifts and capabilities, to better our conditions and not look for ready-made interventions. I oppose food rations to the masses for three reasons. It subjugates the people. It embodies defeatism. It is a tool of a few to control many. 

Only holistic interventions can stand the test of time. Somebody must lead the way for this to happen.

And who can do this?

Now, this where the rain started beating us. It's exactly sixty days since I wrote a piece about a forgotten school found deep inside Turkana County. Many of you might be aware that lack of school infrastructure in the remote corners of this country is still a big headache.

Some of us from Kenya's northern frontier counties won't be surprised to see kids learning under trees or schools devoid of teachers. This is 'normal' over there.

Wait, the point here isn't the astonishment (or lack of it). Such encounters put into perspective the innate apathy of professionals from these regions. They are completely withdrawn from the day-to-day encounters of the masses.

Mark you, the school's story just ended like that, a story. Only endless splashing of empty rhetoric kept flying in. No homegrown action. Only strangers streamed in with goodies.

Which provoked some bitter questions: could this be the end of the beginning of progress? Who do these 'enlightened' people wait to do what benefits their people? Or could this be a protectionist mentality deployed by the few at the top to maintain their grip over the clueless mass of people out there?

I think the problem started some time back. Many of those controlling levers of power in these regions passed through the helpful hands of Churches, NGOs or Special government programs. They were handpicked, schooled and sent out as agents of change.

But what do we see now?

It seems the lesson was wrongly internalised. Many of these professionals have grown up with the feeling that external help (especially from aid agencies and government) is a must. 

Look, prior to the introduction of Constituencies Development Fund in 2003, about eighty-percent of schools, health facilities and rescue centers in Turkana were either built by faith-based organisations or  some stand-alone NGOs.

This justifies my understanding of development problem in Turkana. The thing is wholly a soft-ware problem. It demands a mental shift to tilt the scales. Blame not material shortage! 

Materials will always be scarce in a place dotted with chaps that still cling on blame-shifting and apathy as the only way to progress. 

Which progress? Format your brains and it will dawn on you that you have a lot to offer to build your communities.

                                       * * * * * * * * * * *

Many thanks to the following persons/entities for turning up: 

1) Mumbi Kaptere - Ksh 18200

2) Ultimate System Decisions -1 - Ksh 1365
3) Claire Bond Kshs - Ksh 2730
4) White Cliffs Music - Kshs 910
5) Jo Graeme kshs - Ksh 1365
6) Ultimate System Decisions -2 - Ksh 1638
7) Dr. Ekuru Aukot - Ksh 14000
8) Mr. Linus Ebenyo- Minister for Tourism and Trade Turkana County  - 20 iron sheets. 

The children of Kootoro Primary School are happy to know that you heard their pleas, and you responded accordingly. Be blessed.

Lemukol Ng'asike is an Architect. E-mail:  lemoseh89@gmail.com.  Twitter:  @mlemukol. 

Forget The Hype; Nairobi 'City' Is Just A Big Slum-City

Whether or not Nairobi is a city worth its name is debatable. It has been argued before - especially along government corridors - that Nairobi is by many standards an advanced city.  

Many have even gone an extra mile to christen it "a city in the sun", ostensibly to stamp the city's position as the focal point for adventure, transport hub, and international trade, among other "signs of development" bandied around by our media people.

While it is easier to resort to judging a city (or any other place) on the basis of its shiny edifices, the truthfulness of such verdicts comes to test once tragedies strike and the need to question the guiding  philosophy of a city gains prominence. 

Notwithstanding the aloofness of city dwellers vis-à-vis responsibilities of city authorities, it is a big fallacy to drift away from interrogating the very essence of a city bureaucracy that has failed to enforce the simplest of its own by-laws in order to save lives. 

A city worth its rightful position plays not with its rules. Its position is inherently a product of the level of its by-law enforcement. There is no other magic bullet to turn things around.

For the past couple of weeks, we have witnessed a disturbing picture of Nairobi. A number of high-density residential flats have come down, allegedly due to poor workmanship leaving behind a trail of destruction and human deaths.

A prominent case is that of a five-storey building that collapsed around Huruma Area leaving some five people dead and many others hospitalised. 

As expected, the city's top honchos came out full of bravado and announced the suspension of county officials in the City's Housing Department, allegedly for not doing their job as required. 

What followed was a loud silence. The city went back to "normal", supposedly waiting for another tragedy to occur for change to be effected.

Shaky structures keep on popping up all over the city unhindered. Questionable characters masquerading as construction professionals still dot city's construction sites untouched.

Nothing seems to have shaken our collective conscience.

Several scholarly writings (notably from the Department of Geography, National University of Singapore) argue that the significance of a city’s sensory practices - that is, building codes, refuse disposal/control, garbage collection, maintenance of public spaces, designation of smoking zones etc - in moulding urban experiences have for a long time received scant attention from city officialdom.

They affirm that many a times city authorities will succumb to blind media attention by focusing their energies on urban interventions that impact not on the city dwellers.

A case in point is the selective enforcement of building codes in a given city (say Nairobi) on the basis of the economic status of its inhabitants.

A look into Nairobi's spatial development reveals the skewed nature of the officialdom's engagement on matters construction. Low income sections rarely enjoy the full cooperation of the city authorities in vetting, approving and/or disciplining those engaged in works (i.e architects, contractors, engineers etc).

Many a times building plans approval processes are designed in a manner that leaves heavy financial burden on the applicant.

This, without a doubt, is a clear reason why many low-income city dwellers will resort to unofficial means (probably by bribing city officials) in order to have their plans approved on time.

From rural/urban standpoint, it is worth-noting that Nairobi is yet to evolve to the status of a city. It is just a big slum city.

Solid engagement on matters public safety is yet to be appreciated by the public.

The belief that enforcement of city by-laws can only materialise when city sheriffs unleash their fiat is one big barrier city dwellers must remove. 

Renting a shaky structure oblivious of the dangers associated to it is a manifestation of this laissez-faire mentality. It adds value to accept our inadequacies before piling blames on an equally skewed system.

Redeeming Nairobi is a two-pronged activity. City dwellers must own up the process. City fathers must come to the realization that they are not governing a village city.

Clinging to baseless hypes is an undertaking of a people allergic to the true representation of their going-ons.

Skewed interventionism will affirm the position of Nairobi as a slum-city.

Lemukol Ng'asike is an architect. E-mail:  lemoseh89@gmail.com.  Twitter:  @mlemukol.  

Kenya's Activism Must Be Tinged With Reason, Not Raw Power

Those of you who cherish matters progress (in its broad definition) will agree that activism is an integral aspect of any open and democratic society. I solidly hold that such a society must be grounded in robust citizen-led approaches - both development and governance-wise.

How is this possible? 

The possibility of having an open society is highly likely to occur when communication platforms are open to everybody - the People and the government. For no clear steps can be made - say at family level or even nationally - when silence rules. Only through discourse - yes inclusive discourse, can development and governance go together and eventually benefit all. 

However, I am opposed to the belief that raw power - that is, over-reliance on brute force, tyrannies of all proportions, muting of brains, clouding of reason, ad infinitum - is the way to go to put positives on the table and to win opponents to either side.

For history is clear on the outcomes of taking this path. No meaningful impact can be derived from muting brains. To cling to this amounts to a zero-sum game.

Only reason prevails at all times and for the benefit of all people.

This brings us to Kenya’s excruciating condition. Is Kenya's level of activism at par with the long term needs of the nation and the general aspirations of Wananchi? Can we point out some positive outcomes of Kenya's activism?

I know activism in Kenya has for long been understood to be a preserve of 'chaps outside government'. A mere mention of the word activist conjures an image of a persona that is inherently anti-state, anti-government and pro-leftist thinking.

But is this wholly true? To some extent yes!

Kenya's March to Democracy is a testimony to this. Many will recall that those who spearheaded this move were mainly activists, and outside the government of the day. On the opposite side was a government that spared no effort to maintain and protect what it believed to be right and good for the nation.

It carries weight, therefore, to simply brand activism as an act against government’s excesses with an objective to foster a Kenya that is loved by all.

History aside. It is worth noting that activism scales have shifted. The present dynamics demonstrate a rather scary image for activism in general. Several reasons come to mind.

One. Activism of yore still controls the present paradigm despite changing dynamics and social needs. Many are still stack in the activistic (in its strict meaning) underpinnings of yester-years of endless deployment of raw power as opposed to exploring other ways of hammering issues.

As expected, this has led to belief in violence as the 'only and true' answer to all our differences. 

Two. Government's response (or lack of it) leaves more questions than answers. There is a growing tendency along government corridors to resort to confronting activism by activism, other than addressing the pertinent issues at the center of the exchanges. 

Take a walk to social media platforms and you will witness the cut-throat competition pitting pro-government activists against the other side. (I choose not to call them anti-government activists for I know nothing that qualifies one to be anti-government).

Personally, I find this 'competition' good - but only if - reason and objectivity take center-stage. Exchanges such as these are what characterize the very essence of any democratic construct. It is healthy to the people, and to the nation.

But (I repeat) one sided-ism has no place in any pro-country activism. 

The onus to up the game rests with government activism. Clever people affirm that governments are like the morning stars that give direction and guidance to all regardless of how they spent their nights.

Likewise, I think cornering 'outside-the-government-activism' is valueless to the nation. It goes along to solidify the belief that for governments to work, they must be policed. And this policing must originate from the citizenry.

Ultra activistic tendencies devoid of reason - and especially oiled by government - must be avoided by all. We cannot build this nation by resorting to shooting one another from the extremes of our muted brains. 

We must look for a midpoint. Let reason, and not raw power prevail.

Lemukol Ng'asike is an Architect. E-mail:  lemoseh89@gmail.com.  Twitter:  @mlemukol.  

THIS SCHOOL IS INDICATIVE OF OUR SOCIO-POLITICAL MALAISE

Last year we spent much energies brainstorming about the different approaches development stakeholders ought to adopt to inject a dose of progress in the populace. We condemned all those we believed carried the greatest responsibilities vis-à-vis people's welfare (or lack of it).

We spent an insignificant fraction of our time and energies in revisiting the practical component of these development approaches. We forgot the very central component that embodies the ideas we espouse.

We did not act on our brainstormings!

This year, therefore, must not pass as another year of talking and yapping. It is time to change tack. 

I elect to confront the cancer of school-lessness this year as our focus issue. There is this school in Turkana County that is crying for our attention.

You can read much about it here: http://lemukolwords.blogspot.com/2014/11/mr-governor-build-your-name-by-building.html

Reading through political contracting, one interesting point characterizing political marriages - the interaction between the people and their leaders - anywhere in the world pops up.

That service delivery is a key component in the pursuit of legitimacy. That authorities become legitimate 'only' when they heed the calls of the governed and respond to their pleas accordingly.

After two years of consistent writing I have come to understand the realities in which many of our folks - who for reasons they cannot openly state - have been subjected to accept as 'normal and the way to go'. I have come to internalise the pain of many of our poor people who (rightly) know the cause of their condition but feel suppressed to demand action from their leaders.

I have received a great deal of e-mails coloured by tears and sorrows from a people touched by the emptiness in our econo-socio-political makeup. Their moral conviction is evident in their description of powerlessness in the people and the absence of will in the souls and minds of the ruling class.

This lengthy preamble is informed by the push to put into perspective the many faces of subjugation and material and mental poverty that has confined many of my people into a perpetual fight to beat man-made odds to survive.

Many of us still believe absence of education among Kenya's bottom-of-the-scale people is the chief culprit to blame for the void and glaring inequalities we see around. I personally hold that absence of education is the philosophy over which banditry and endless bloodbath reported in Turkana, West-Pokot, Samburu and elsewhere in the 'troubled northern Kenya' is built on. 

That to put the masses of these regions on the path of self-identification and empowerment, we must cure the malady of  absence of education - particularly the absence of school infrastructure in a region teaming with school-less children and illiterate adults. 

For no amount of food rationing shall restore the dignity of these people.

Only education - albeit after a long time - shall create a population proud of its identity, bold enough to confront its challenges and one with the courage to face head-on the hypocrisy and double standards of its leadership. 

My people, it's time we confronted our past with clean hearts and with clear conscience in order to lay down a permanent foundation over which happiness and progress must be anchored. 

For there is no much happiness than seeing a school-less kid in the jungles of Turkana County getting into a class built  by you and me. 

We must get it right this year. We the people hold the key to our progress. Our collective effort is the needed spirit to materialize our resolve.

Let it be remembered that we built schools for the school-less and restored hope to the hopeless. Let it be known that before the beautiful words of people's empowerment are pronounced we will be ready at work actualising that empowerment.

It is my prayer that as 2015 matures school-lessness among my people will be disappearing. I need your support in building this Turkana School.

Remember it is only through the robustness of our minds and hands that smiles are planted on our faces. Join us in building this school. We must confine school-lessness to the museums of history. 

Bring forth thy support! https://secure.changa.co.ke/myweb/share/3602

Lemukol Ng'asike is an Architect. E-mail:  lemoseh89@gmail.com. Twitter:  @mlemukol.