Heal the Nation Campaign

Kenya is in turmoil – the lives of over 1,000 citizens have been snuffed out, over a quarter of a million Kenyans have been forced to flee from their homes. Somewhere in the midst of media reports of ethnic cleansing, and government claims of a return to calm and normalcy, the real story is being lost. The truth is not weighing into debate as it should.

A group of women journalists have come together, facilitated by the Swedish and Norwegian envoys in Kenya, and launched an initiative called 'Healing the Nation'.

This is an objective with both short and long-term objectives – all to one end. To foster a sense and reality of one-ness in Kenya, to heal the wounds opened up by years of inequality and to tackle head-on, the very issues that have brought this country to its knees in this unprecedented way.

In one phrase, Kenya's women journalists are coming together in commitment to work to promote truth, justice, and peace and healing to Kenya.

Minutes 2: The second meeting of senior media women on the Kenyan crisis

8 January 2008

The second meeting of Senior Media Women Editors in Kenya was held today with the aim of firming the activities of the Heal the Nation Campaign scheduled to be launched on Monday 14th January 2008.

The group was in agreement that if they were going to heal the nation the focus of the campaign should not be just to end the crisis but also help the country to reflect on historical injustices that have not been dealt with.

Minutes 3: Senior Media Women's Meeting

28th January 2008

Rosemary Okello and Mildred Ngesa briefed the meeting on the outcomes of a forum organized last Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th January where women representing the diversity of the women’s movement in Kenya met the team of Eminent Persons led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan followed by a subsequent meeting of the movement examining itself in the context of the post-election crisis.

Kenya's Women Journalists Telling Stories of a Country Full of Hope and Potential

In recent days, Kenya has been talked about in the same breath as Rwanda, Liberia, Afghanistan and others, with analysts breaking down our history to a conflict between two 'tribes'. Terms such as 'Ethnic genocide' and 'ethnic cleansing' have been bandied about with no regard to the real issues behind the on-going unrest and blood shed in the country.

Meet a Kenyan Woman

Jane Njoki

She walks with her head held high and her gaze is steady. She is a source of knowledge and comfort to her sisters and their children camping out at Nairobi’s Jamhuri Park.

Although she has no warm place to lay her head at the end of each long day, she exudes warmth and joy even on a drizzling January afternoon. She has no apologies to make about her Kenyan identity: “My name is Jane, and I am a proud Kenyan from Kibera Kianda,” says the mother of two university-going sons.