Kenya Dig It – Unity in the Community

Community….a  word we hear so often these days whether it’s referring to geography or the online arena, however a community can be a powerful body. Generally it refers to a group of people unified by a number of circumstances or situations such as: geography, resources, beliefs, needs, resources, risks, intent and even preferences.  Many times we find ourselves members of a variety of communities and mostly because it is our choice and for a variety of reasons some of those listed above.

About 380 km outside of Nairobi, in the Samburu district of Kenya, there you will find a tiny village unified by all of the circumstances listed above with one more…survival. The name of this village? Umoja, Kiswahili meaning “Unity”, founded by a group 16 homeless women on an unwanted field of dry grasslands in the early 90s .Rebecca Lolosoli is the matriarch of this village unwaivering in her determination to fight for human rights and the end of female genital mutilation (FGM). She’s suffered beatings and death threats yet her desire and determination remain constant.  Today, Umoja is financially independent and a safe haven for women in the region. However, the Samburu men in the region are still a threat, in August of 2009, the husband of Rebecca Lolosoli attacked the village chasing women from their homes and threatening them with a gun. Witnesses say he was threatening to kill Lolosoli but she was not home.

Rebecca Lolosoli is passionate about the Samburu women and the community of Umoja, she’s a strong inspiring leader committed to changing the culture to one of respect. Community leaders/organizers of this caliber are hard to find in this day and age, and in my mind Rebecca Lolosoli is one of the best. She’s uniquely authentic and the perfect person to honor as we close out the week that started with International Women’s Day. She’s a remarkable example of the fact that you don’t need wealth to become a change agent, you need passion,determination and commitment.