Plan of Action from the Kenyan National Quaker Peace Conference

Kenyan National Quaker Peace Conference
Plan of Action
27 January 2008

Immediate crisis-intervention measures

Political crisis:

• Issue a public statement from this Conference
• Use the media to publicize messages of peace and reconciliation
• Document and disseminate stories of people acting in courageous non-violent ways
• Engage in non-violent direct action to stop violence and retaliation in our communities

Humanitarian crisis – internally displaced people:

• Shelter, accommodation
• Food, water, fuel
• Clothing
• Medication, first aid, health care
• Security and safety
• Sanitation
• Trauma counseling
• Bible distribution
• Activities, games
• Access to schooling

Inter-communal crisis:

• Mediate in situations of acute conflict
• Assist in reconciliation between displaced people and those who threatened them
• Reintegrate displaced people into the community, rebuild trust between neighbors

Psychological and spiritual crisis:

• Crisis-intervention counseling
  • Train primary school teachers on the effects of trauma on young children
  • Offer trauma counseling for IDPs
  • Reach the “disaffected” youth, e.g. boda boda drivers, touts, the unemployed
• Scale up AVP to reach as many places as possible
• Establish “listening programmes” for people to tell their stories in a safe environment
• Preach the gospel of peace, educate our own people on the teachings of our church

Crisis of youth in this country:

• Begin a pilot programme for civic and peace education in Quaker schools
• Organize youth work camps to help with humanitarian work and rebuilding

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Organizational capacity:

Establish a national coordination body for the short-term work

Address need for personnel, including placement of volunteers

Networking and communications

Guarantee integrity and transparency in use of funds, to maintain our good reputation

Possible cluster areas for longer-term work, and potential activities:

Youth Empowerment
Create a fund for youth empowerment
Youth programmes, e.g. volunteer training and action, work camps, vocational training

Seriously examine the involvement of youth in the structures of the Friends Church

Re-engage with our Quaker schools

Peer-mediation and AVP in the schools

Economic Development

Income generating activities

Teach practical business skills, entrepreneurship

Humanitarian Relief

Relief Fund for future disasters

Peace, justice and non-violence – a movement for social transformation toward a culture of peace

Peace Research Institute (at the University)

Peace Radio, other publications

Workshops, mediation, trauma healing, AVP, listening

Restorative justice movement

Peace curriculum through the Ministry of Education

Training for non-violent direct action for social change

Advocacy

Establish an organization which can organize the Friends voice on Public Policy matters

Build the capacity of Friends to be involved in the civic agenda at all levels

Use the model of QUNO “quiet diplomacy”

Spiritual development of the Peace Testimony

Review and improve the content of the membership class curricula

Strengthen the peace and justice programmes at Friends Theological College

Organizational capacity

National Management Committee – develop institutional capacity

Network with other peace organization in Kenya and around the world

Resources

Friends United Meeting and Friends World Committee for Consultation are both active in raising overseas funds for relief and reconstruction. The Conference urges all Kenyans to raise local funds and to deposit them in the account of Friends United Meeting, Barclays Bank, Kisumu Branch #2007332. All money will be used efficiently and effectively, with transparency and integrity.