Children are the Future
The real future lies in the hands of our children and therefore the first priority of ours should be the nurturing and education of all children on this planet. Every child has the right to be loved and respected, to be seen and heard and to have dreams of a better and peaceful future. I am a creative producer from Icebreaker Productions from Finland and happy to share the fruits of one of our projects I ran in the Kibera slums in Nairobi with you.
Amka Kenya – Children for Peace
Amka Kenya (Wake up Kenya) initiative was created between Icebreakers and Koinonia Community for peace building and development of cultural activities for former street children of the Kibera slums in Nairobi before the presidential general elections of 2013.
During the 2007 post-election violence many families were left homeless and many children headed to the streets. In Amka Kenya the former and present street children were actively participating in governance and peace building. They could voice their concerns regarding the political tension in Kenya before the elections in 2013. After all, they knew the pains that were a result of a nation torn by violence. They had lived it.
Amka Kenya consisted of the training of the choir members, production and distribution of a peace music album through events and visibility in Kenyan media. The songs dealing with peace and human rights were performed and partly made by the former street boys of Ndugu Mdogo (Little Brother) Rescue Center in the Kibera slums aged between 5 and 15.
The highlights of the project were the launch of the music album and Amka Kenya Concert and Peace March of Street Children in the Kibera slums on 26 January 2013. Talents from the streets were performing to their brothers and sisters from the streets. Ndugu Mdogo Choir was also performing in Chagua Peace Concert at Uhuru Park Nairobi on 28 February 2013. The concert was arranged by the Kenya Red Cross and top local musicians and led by the renowned artist Eric Wainaina. It was broadcast live nationwide on Citizen TV and NTV and several radio channels.
The initiative was partly funded by Finnish Foreign Ministry and addressed issues relating to the “voice and visibility” of street children in the Kenyan society through media and live performances, giving the general public positive messages and information on the immense potential every child living among us possesses.
Marita Rainbird – Finland
Rotary Peace Fellow – Class 28
Video on Amka Kenya Peace Event in Kibera DC Ground on 26 January 2013 here.
More information here.
These are links just in case the above links do not work properly:
- Video on Amka Kenya Peace Event in Kibera DC Ground on 26 January 2013:
- Cheki cheki music video:
- Amka Kenya music video:
- More information:
