With the present situation,i do agree with Caleb's point that alot has to be done to incorporate the youthin major decision making at all levels.There have been so much misuse of the youth's potential to bring about meaningful development.Kenya for example is preparing to go to polls next week with all politicians targetting the youth with all promises as usual.The government recently created a ministry for youth affairs but the truth of the matter is that the bulk of its leaders are infact old!Indeed anything without them is surely against them.
Hello Caleb,
You're having a big impact with your work. Keep it up! Have you given more thought to who you could reach out to in the community as partners? What kind of exposure has your work received? What is the community's response to the work that you do?
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Dear Dana!
Am so happy to hear from you about our post that we made a few years ago and so excited that you were touched by our work.
A lot of things have changed since then- Please visit www.elgonproject.org to learn more. We can send you new publications about our work.
Where are we coming from and who are we involving in our work?
Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project began in September 2004. This was largely influenced by my participation in REPSSI trainings and Narrative ideas of Michael White, Cherly White and David Denborough. It did not make sense for me travel and conduct trainings to other communities when my own people from my community are struggling with issues loss, trauma, separation, poverty, conflict etc.
When you move around the villages, the predominant stories are usually about how the world has changed, how things are not easy now, and about how it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain family life. There is increased conflict within families and cases of divorce and separation are becoming more common. When people talk about these issues in the villages, the conversations sometimes lead to anger, frustration, stigma, and discrimination. As divisions increase, so does anguish and depression. And children are at risk of abandonment.
There has been increasing concern that traditional social support structures will be overwhelmed. Economic, social, and environmental crises are the reasons for this concern. The problems of poverty, conflict, and disease are combining to threaten the stability of families and communities.
These are the ‘clouds’ that encircle our communities and we must find ways to raise our heads above these clouds and to work towards the world we hope for: where joy, peace, and comfort lie.
Our main concern was how we can raise our heads above the clouds? And how we can get ordinary people brought together to paint the world in the colors that they wish to see? We spend time thinking and shaping our approaches to allow children, families and communities take active role in responding to their issues.
We realized that our success as individuals, families and communities in the face of adversity is influenced by our wisdom in knowing what we do, and our readiness and willingness to learn from history. We draw energies on our relationships of mutual benefit, our values and our resilience in the face of shifting realities. This idea of “Collective Intelligence” and wise responsiveness has paved the way for the rich territory of identity, collaboration, participation and learning.
We do not tell people what to do, but through our interactions, teachings, and experience sharing, we create the supportive and therapeutic environment in which individuals are invited to define the purpose of their existence. We inspire and motivate people to see predicaments as opportunities for creativity and view the environment through the eyes of their purpose of existence. This approach has helped to ignite hidden potentials and aided the development of alternative and preferred stories that awakens individuals’ sense self-worth, appreciation and value for life. This approach enables people to journey to the future with confidence and optimism while remaining connected to their hopes, values, skills, beliefs and ambitions that they hold precious.
We have built a system where ordinary people are brought together to paint the world in the colors that they would wish to see. We are consciously directing our energies and resources into initiatives that enable our potentials to be reached and tapping into people’s existing passion to make a difference.
We welcome individuals, organizations that have the passion to build the capacity of local people to take charge of their lives and initiatives to come and journey with us!
Comments
With the present situation,i do agree with Caleb's point that alot has to be done to incorporate the youthin major decision making at all levels.There have been so much misuse of the youth's potential to bring about meaningful development.Kenya for example is preparing to go to polls next week with all politicians targetting the youth with all promises as usual.The government recently created a ministry for youth affairs but the truth of the matter is that the bulk of its leaders are infact old!Indeed anything without them is surely against them.
Hello Caleb,
You're having a big impact with your work. Keep it up! Have you given more thought to who you could reach out to in the community as partners? What kind of exposure has your work received? What is the community's response to the work that you do?
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Dear Dana!
Am so happy to hear from you about our post that we made a few years ago and so excited that you were touched by our work.
A lot of things have changed since then- Please visit www.elgonproject.org to learn more. We can send you new publications about our work.
Where are we coming from and who are we involving in our work?
Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project began in September 2004. This was largely influenced by my participation in REPSSI trainings and Narrative ideas of Michael White, Cherly White and David Denborough. It did not make sense for me travel and conduct trainings to other communities when my own people from my community are struggling with issues loss, trauma, separation, poverty, conflict etc.
When you move around the villages, the predominant stories are usually about how the world has changed, how things are not easy now, and about how it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain family life. There is increased conflict within families and cases of divorce and separation are becoming more common. When people talk about these issues in the villages, the conversations sometimes lead to anger, frustration, stigma, and discrimination. As divisions increase, so does anguish and depression. And children are at risk of abandonment.
There has been increasing concern that traditional social support structures will be overwhelmed. Economic, social, and environmental crises are the reasons for this concern. The problems of poverty, conflict, and disease are combining to threaten the stability of families and communities.
These are the ‘clouds’ that encircle our communities and we must find ways to raise our heads above these clouds and to work towards the world we hope for: where joy, peace, and comfort lie.
Our main concern was how we can raise our heads above the clouds? And how we can get ordinary people brought together to paint the world in the colors that they wish to see? We spend time thinking and shaping our approaches to allow children, families and communities take active role in responding to their issues.
We realized that our success as individuals, families and communities in the face of adversity is influenced by our wisdom in knowing what we do, and our readiness and willingness to learn from history. We draw energies on our relationships of mutual benefit, our values and our resilience in the face of shifting realities. This idea of “Collective Intelligence” and wise responsiveness has paved the way for the rich territory of identity, collaboration, participation and learning.
We do not tell people what to do, but through our interactions, teachings, and experience sharing, we create the supportive and therapeutic environment in which individuals are invited to define the purpose of their existence. We inspire and motivate people to see predicaments as opportunities for creativity and view the environment through the eyes of their purpose of existence. This approach has helped to ignite hidden potentials and aided the development of alternative and preferred stories that awakens individuals’ sense self-worth, appreciation and value for life. This approach enables people to journey to the future with confidence and optimism while remaining connected to their hopes, values, skills, beliefs and ambitions that they hold precious.
We have built a system where ordinary people are brought together to paint the world in the colors that they would wish to see. We are consciously directing our energies and resources into initiatives that enable our potentials to be reached and tapping into people’s existing passion to make a difference.
We welcome individuals, organizations that have the passion to build the capacity of local people to take charge of their lives and initiatives to come and journey with us!
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