By Diana Wambui Ngugi
Reporting Outcomes, Michael Adie
The first Kenya Works Community Works (KWCW) human rights training of 2024 unfurled its educational tapestry within the serene expanse of Kunyak Ward in Kericho County. Serving as a vibrant testament to the power of education, empowerment, and community spirit and against a backdrop of natural beauty and communal warmth, the workshop has woven its home, demonstrating the incredible strength of unity and the limitless possibilities of human collaboration.
Kunyak, rich in agricultural splendor, thrives under the care of its people, the guardians of the land's generous heart. The soil, alive and nurturing, rewards the dedication of those who tend it, with sugar cane fields swaying in the wind and coffee plants showcasing the area's commitment to both scale and quality in agriculture.
Surrounded by a riot of floral beauty, the area is encased in petals of green, red, and yellow that unfurl in the light, creating a vibrant mosaic that dazzles the eyes. Tall, stoic trees stand guard, their branches a sanctuary for an array of birds whose plumage paints the sky in strokes of iridescent blues, fiery reds, and sun-kissed yellows. It's a spectacle of nature's artistry, where male birds, adorned in their finest feathers, entertain the world with melodies so
enchanting they seem to weave the very essence of beauty into their songs.
Amidst all this beauty, the community came together to address entrenched social norms that perpetuate violence and minimize opportunities for women and girls. Human rights violations are so widespread they cut across most families including domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, early marriages and teen pregnancies as well as succession and property ownership that excludes women and children.
The 4-day community workshop brought together 60 participants, drawn from a vibrant tapestry of cultures and traditions made up of the full social fabric within this ward. Health care workers, community and religious leaders, representatives from youth and women’s groups, policy makers and opinion leaders enriched the threads of the larger group, mobilized by local administrators united in purpose for activating positive change.
Many within the group are actively involved in community advocacy. This workshop served as a platform for all to join hands, learn new techniques and work in unity. A common goal for all was learning to turn ideas into practice to expand the information across families and community.
As the workshop wrapped up four days later, we left behind not just education and training, but a network of newly minted friendships and allies. Kunyak—like all the communities the Kenya Works Community Works Training Team visits—is not just a place on the map. It's a living, breathing community where the past and future are interwoven with threads of hope, resilience and an unbreakable spirit of unity.
The story of Kunyak and the Kenya Works community workshop paints a picture of what's possible when hearts and hands come together. It's a vibrant, ongoing saga of learning, loving, and living together, crafting a future that's as bright as the smiles of those who call this place home.
Beautiful people of Kunyak.