Empowering Women Politically

We are grateful to Andrew Obara for this information on women and the Kenyan elections:

Village of Love woman exercises her right to vote2017 Elections

Andrew writes, “On the 8th of August, Kibera people woke up early, to go and exercise their democratic right like other Kenyans. It was the day the country was electing its leaders for the next five years.

Our beneficiaries were more eager than most people as we had educated them why people vote and the importance of the exercise. We told them that voting was not a census of tribes nor was it time to solicit money from the politicians.

We made them understand that they were choosing people who would be their voice in parliament, senate and county governments. They would bring changes that would allow them places in governorship, inheritance, own land, credit, education for the girl child and equal job opportunities, speak on the number of children to have etc.

Armed with an Identity card they queued and voted peacefully. Though it was expected that there was going to be some trouble during and after elections, the magnitude of what transpired after elections was shocking. Women were raped, businesses looted, protesters and the innocent were shot at and killed.

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"Meet the Obaras and Village of Love"

During the Obaras’ recent visit to Toronto,Cassandra Irving wrote a lovely feature article on them for “Neighbours of High Park” magazine.

“Andrew Obara was born in 1955 in the days before Kenya’s independence. As a young man, he watched as his nation struggled to unclench itself from the tight grasp of the British Colonies. When the independent Republic of Kenya was officially formed in 1964, Andrew and his family joined in the hopes of many that life would be better.

Things did not turn out as expected.

For more, click Neighbours of High Park.

GLOBAL CITIZEN’S FORUM, Toronto, 2017

Village of Love is having a big impact under very challenging circumstances. What is the secret of their effectiveness in lifting women and children out of extreme poverty?

The recent Global Citizen’s Forum in Toronto, brought together NGO’s from several continents to explore leadership in reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) to eliminate poverty by 2030. The Forum heard from Leonora how Village of Love is contributing to the first five SDG’S: No poverty. No hunger. Health & wellbeing. Quality education. Empowerment of women.  Through Village of Love, women are becoming skilled entrepreneurs who can provide for their children, food, medicine and school.

One man asked, “How do you manage something so difficult, to work with women in a slum community?”

Leonora responded, “You have to understand the dynamics of community. You need to know how to let the women take the lead, take ownership. When the project is theirs, they sustain it themselves.”

Leonora truly understands how to build community, from the family up. Nothing that Village of Love does is on their own. The women themselves are clustered into groups of fifteen (broken into 3 groups of five). Wisdom and resources of other organisations are made full use of, from the Kenyan government down to local NGO’s and CBO’s.

The strength of Village of Love is that they do not work alone! A refreshing approach, in a world that is becoming increasingly fragmented.

5 Year Celebration, "Their Life in Their Hands"

Our 5 year Anniversary Celebration, October 15, saw an exciting gathering of diverse people, talented musicians and dancers and enthusiastic Kenyans and Canadians who were willing to share their rich experiences in visiting Village of Love.

We were especially thrilled to be graced by the presence of the Kenyan High Commisioner, H.E. John Lanyasunya, who took time out of a very busy schedule to be with us. In his opening remarks, he noted how unusual it is for two countries to be brought together, not at government level, but person to person.

Indeed this has been an aspect of our involvement with Village of Love that has been most rewarding: having our eyes opened to a different way of thinking and approach to life.

Peace in the world could surely be advanced through a great deal more intercultural learning!

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