The Kenya Economic Development Human Advancement Project (KEDHAP) is the development, peacebuilding, and relief arm of the Kenya Mennonite Church in the Diocese of Kisumu East. Thanks to YOUR support, KEDHAP has steadily grown and now serves thousands of participants through a wide range of programs in impoverished rural areas.
KEDHAP’s primary work is in Female Empowerment, Education, Community Development, Health Education, Peace-making & Reconciliation, Food Security & Income Generation, and Leadership Development. KEDHAP endeavours to tackle harmful gender norms that continue to threaten the health and rights of adolescent girls.
KEDHAP’S PEACEMAKING MINISTRY
KEDHAP does a lot for their community; one of its initiatives is reconciling the deep-rooted conflicts between the Kalenjin and Luo tribes residing along the Kisumu-Nandi and Kisumu-Kericho County borders. Historical land tenure, disputed administrative boundaries, cattle rustling, and political incitement have divided the communities for decades. Their century-old cycles of ethnic conflict, as stated in KEDHAP’s synopsis of their peacemaking activities found here, have “led to the closure of schools, the burning of homes, the torching of sugar cane, the destruction of family food crops, the displacement of residents, and has even claimed lives.”
KEDHAP is a true example of a project that ensures those receiving are equipped and play a role in breaking their cycle of brokenness. This is evident in how they approach restoring peace to their region.
Event: Kenya Tribal Peacemaking with Dr. Ettang
Peacemaking initiatives in Kenya are important as they provide a medium for dialogue, reconciliation and healing for people affected by conflict and violence. They are important for preventing future conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence between different tribal communities. ImpactHope aspires to not only share the work our partners do, but also empower them to succeed and grow through networking, training, and counselling.
We are so grateful to Nigerian Dr. Dorcas Ettang, a Senior Lecturer in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where she earned her Ph.D. in 2015, for willing to provide solutions to some of the challenges KEDHAP is facing in their tribal peacemaking initiatives.
The event was held online on April 29, 2023. The audio recording is available below:
Dr. Ettang spoke on topics ranging from shifting culture, to targeting key stakeholders and youth, to teaching individuals how and why individuals would benefit from peace. Her experience in conflict prevention and management throughout Africa enabled her to advise our partners on ways to teach peace culture to transform personal participation in both tribes for future generations. Here is what Hannah, Gordon Obado, Kathleen Weary and Ruth Dueck-Mbeba had to say about the interview:
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We would also like to thank Robert Kruse, a long-standing Canadian supporter, donor, and advisor of KEDHAP since 2007, for his input on the historical context of the ongoing tribal conflict. ImpactHope looks forward to providing pathways for our projects to gain practical training and support from field experts. Our project leaders look forward to implementing her feedback to improve the quality and outcome of their peacemaking ministry.
