Appreciating diverse cultures through bonding

By Karanja Njoroge

An African proverb says it is only those who do not venture out of their homes that think their mother is the best cook.

The saying is often used to urge communities to appreciate values and cultures of others.

Realising that failure to appreciate cross-cultures may partly be to blame for ethnic differences that fanned post-election violence the Government has initiated a programme to expose youth to diverse cultures.

The youth exchange programme is changing how young people relate since last year’s post-election violence.

If youth from different communities interact and mend fences, politicians will find it hard to incite them against each other.

At the moment, 115 young people from five constituencies are in Mogotio learning the lifestyle of different Kenyan communities.

Drawn from Turkana, Tigania East and West, Pokot and Mogotio, the youth are participating in activities aimed at promoting reconciliation and coexistence.

national cohesion

"They will be accommodated in local homesteads where will understand each other to bring about national cohesion," programme co-ordinator Margaret Mliwa says.

The Ministry of Youth and the United Nations Development Programme are running the programme.

From different climate to the strange languages, the youth are taught how to shed off stereotypes and embrace each other.

The beginning of the first phase at the weekend was marked by song and dance.

Ms Mliwa says this is the largest group to participate in the programme since it kicked off last year.

"We started with 24 young people, but the programme has been expanded," she adds.

Residents who converged at Mogotio constituency to welcome the visitors, were treated to traditional dances and songs.

Leaders present could not resist shaking their legs to tantalising beats of the Meru, Pokot, Turkana and Kalenjin traditional dances.

Youths and Sports Minister Hellen Sambili, who is also the local MP, said the main aim is to enable young people from diverse backgrounds, embrace each other.

"This will enable them appreciate each other’s way of life," she told The Standard.

For ten days, the youth will savour the beautiful and winding landscape of Mogotio.

They will share their diverse cultures and realise they face the same challenges.

The programme titled the Vijana Tuelewane Network, intends to erase suspicion and mistrust among communities.

Cultural nights and sharing skills are among activities lined up for the period.

Mliwa says when youth meet for the first two days there are signs of tension.

misleading myths

She says some have never met people from different communities and stereotypes have misled them on other communities.

She says others have been reluctant to share accommodation with colleagues because of what happened during post-election violence.

"But as they interact they start to bond," she says.

They will also be taught on environmental conservation, energy saving tactics and the HIV and Aids pandemic.

Most participants are drawn from youth based groups in their constituencies.

Mliwa says the pilot project started before the last General Election, when some youth from Kiambaa visited Rarieda.

"We knew the programme was having an impact as youth from the two constituencies kept on calling each other at the height of the post-election violence," She said.

The Mogotio meeting is the fifth.

For Mr Wilson Kipruto, the program has helped him appreciate the country’s diversity.

Kipruto, who is from Eldoret East, says this is the second time he is participating in the programme, having visited Borabu, last year.

He has started preaching peace to communities in Eldoret, which was among areas worst hit by the post-election violence.

"I am catechist and through the Church I have been educating youth to understand why we should live peace fully with our neighbours," he adds.

He terms the initiative a great opportunity to enhance reconciliation as most members of his Church had their houses burnt and property destroyed in Moiben.

The youth will bond for several days at Mogotio Polytechnic and then choose colleagues from the host community to stay with.

"We let them choose friends who they will feel comfortable with," says Mliwa.

Mr Erastus Maitoi, 25, from Tigania says he is excited to be in Mogotio and Rift Valley for the first time.

He says although his area was not affected by the violence, the programme will enable him learn more about other communities.

"We will show them our culture and expect to learn from their experiences," he says.

Youth from pastoralist communities say they are eager to dispel some stereotypes.

After Mogotio, the youth will visit Tigania for a similar programme.

Ms Leah Edome, from Turkana South says the Turkana have been portrayed as violent and their rich culture ignored for a long time.

"We are using this forum to inform other youth on our potential and rich culture," she says.

Edome who works with a community-based organisation in Turkana, says the youth should be educated on how to use available resources to uplift their lives.