In 2008, following the post-election violence, a group of youth from the Kibera slum decided enough was enough and it was time for peace. Kibera was one of the places hardest hit by the violence, largely due to the population density and diversity of tribes living in such close proximity to one another. Election violence was fought along tribal lines, as the election itself was contested.

Amani is a Swahili word meaning “peace” and that is the goal of Amani Kibera. Since establishing themselves as an NGO, the organization has worked hard to make a significant impact in its community. The main activity is to promote peace through sports, so they set up a soccer competition in Kibera, providing uniforms to the teams and referees. This simple act instills a sense of belonging in the young players, most of whom are young men who are more susceptible to the negative influences of drugs, alcohol, and the idleness of unemployment.

In February 2011, Amani Kibera opened the only public library in the slums (where 1-2 million people live). Every day students flock to the library. Often the home environment is not conducive to effective study, as most houses are just one room where you cook, eat, sleep, and live. Therefore, the library provides a space for students to concentrate and also to get help from volunteer tutors.

Amani Kibera has also established a girls’ group, where young women learn to make beaded jewelry that they sell to raise money to pay for school fees. For those too old to go back to school, Amani Kibera has started a fashion institute where women learn to design and produce clothes so they have a trade and a way to earn some money.

Every December, Amani Kibera celebrates its anniversary with a soccer tournament. Last year (2012), to celebrate five years, they also held a series of peach concerts. It was timely to have a big peace celebration as the election campaigns were in full swing and there was uncertainty as to what would happen this time. The theme of the festival was “Ukabila ni Ujinga” – Ethnicity is stupid. It is time for Kenyans to consider themselves as Kenyans, not along tribal lines; and it is time for political aspirants to stop campaigning along these lines as well.

Teams from all over Kenya are invited to participate in the tournament, following the aim of promoting peace through sport. The day of the final has a party atmosphere. Music blares from the speakers and local dance groups perform for the crowd as the games progress. Last year the day of the final was very exciting, but I must confess that with all the comments in Swahili and getting distracted by the stunts off the pitch, I lost track of who was playing and even who won in the end! I had the honor of having the privilege of handing out some prizes to the players… although again I confess that I wasn’t quite sure what they were!

Peace concerts were held every weekend during the month of December 2012. Local artists were invited to perform and I was very impressed by the talent hidden in Kibera! We paraded through the slums, singing peace songs and waving peace banners to promote the message. My banner read “Umoja ni ngovu”, which means “unity is strength”. At one point, a man we passed got carried away by the parade and joyfully told us that he had thrown away his pangas (machete, which is a useful tool and it is common to see people carrying them everywhere. However, it is also the weapon of choice in Kenya) in the drain and was ready for a peaceful election. Another man asked me if he was a political aspirant, to which I smiled and replied that Kenya needed to be led by good, strong Kenyans. How could I boast of representing Kibera in parliament?

Both days that I visited the celebrations, I was filled with the positive and inspiring atmosphere. I really got the feeling that Kenyans don’t want to experience another scary event like 2008 and are trying hard to unite and encourage each other to live in peace. There is little tolerance for political aspirants to push a strong tribal message. There is still some recovery to be done, which was neglected by the nation’s leaders after the 2008 violence, but overall I am calmly confident that while there may be minor squabbles here and there, Amani Kibera’s message is felt and is supported at all times. most of the country.