Mathare Social Justice Centre
Nigel Topping, recently appointed UK High-Level Climate Action Champion, visited Mathare Social Justice Centre to speak with MSJC members on ecological justice. He showed support for the Mathare Green Movement, a campaign to bring dignity to the lives of people through environmental justice.
Saturday 14/04/2018 was a beautiful Kiamaiko day for MSJC. Our Mathare Green Movement team wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to the head teacher, Valley Bridge Primary School, for her very warm welcome to their institution, where we managed to plant a total sum of 50 trees. Valley Bridge is a gorgeous school that has effortlessly stood the test of time to pass education to the children of Kiamaiko, Mathare, 25 years over. We hope to revisit the school soon as the pupils resume studies and plant more trees with them as we teach on the true value of trees and how to effectively care for their environment. In the same breathe, it is important for humanity to consider giving children the necessary education on their rights as well as their violations. It is true that if we are to carry on a real war against social injustices, then we shall have to begin with the children. MGM also wishes to thank the lovely Kingwa Kamenchu for her solidarity hence joining in and planting with us – Viva Kingwa!
Later in the afternoon, team MSJC took the road to yet another activity in Kiamaiko – which was somewhat the highlight of the day. Our assistant Administrative Coordinator, Rahma Wako, had earlier invited our attendance to her niece’s wedding. The simple fact of it being a cultural Borana wedding ceremony is what made it alll the more special for most of us who had not been to such an occassion before. Upon arrival, you could easily feel the aura of love in the air. It was written in the moral code of the bouncy melodious tunes playing in the background and the vibrant colours in the women’s deras. The incredible coordination of coloured lights at the front went a long way in raising one’s spirits. Also, we were served some really nice traditional angera and a scoop of delicious meat stew.
Then came a popular Borana music band who entertained the crowd with great live music; a smooth blend of guitar sounds, powerful vocals and catchy lyrics. Although most of our team members did not understand the words, we could not fight the urge to bump our heads to the rhythm. The bride, Guiyatah, Mama Rahms’s niece, is a brilliant young lady who recently graduated with a degree in Medicine from the University of Nairobi.
From the Mathare Social Justice Centre, wishing the new couple years of love and lots of happiness!
Viva!!! See pictures below from the tree planting session.
The Mathare Green Movement, which meets every Saturday morning to plant trees around Mathare, aims to green Mathare for healing, justice and memory. We want to plant trees so the poor can eat, to commemorate those we have lost and also to bring medicine to the community.
Though a campaign of MSJC, the movement is owned by the community who take care of the trees that have been planted. The target number of trees to be planted annually is 5 – 10 thousand. These will be planted in schools, clinics, social halls and youth group areas.
Together with our comrade Oyunga Pala and other supporters, we are building ecological justice at all levels.
Karibu and join us every Saturday morning as we work on healing our mother earth and each other!
See pictures below from some of our most recent tree planting sessions.
