Posts in category: Prevention, Rehabilitation and Reintegration

By Fidel Castro

20 youth beneficiaries in Rongai, Kajiado County have graduated with digital livelihood skills after a three-months training by Crime Si Poa. The ICT training was conducted in a bid to engage youth with innovative skills, consequently, curbing high crime rates in the area.  

This is the second cohort that has successfully been equipped with relevant computer skills through the Digital Livelihood Project under the large umbrella of the Social Enterprise Program. Through the project, the youth have had an opportunity to acquire relevant techniques that will succour them in their daily lives.

“We greatly appreciate Crime Si Poa for this initiative, our children have not wandered away in crime and drug abuse, because they were engaged by this program, may God bless you Crime Si Poa,” said Leah, a parent of one of the graduates.

AJIRA Digital Coordinating Officer, Antony Chege, made outstanding remarks encouraging the youth to soldier on the path to acquire more knowledge on digital skills and possibly venture into online work.

“Do not settle at this, keep pushing to acquire more. Currently, almost everything is digitized, you, therefore, need these skills at your figure tips in order to have an upper hand,” said Chege, adding, “There are many legalized profit-making platforms available online, it will do you good to join such platforms and earn your own money with the skills that you have.”

Beyond this, the program seeks to engage young people to reduce the high rate of idleness in the community which redounds to an opportunity of engaging in crime and criminal activities.

According to Phanice Kimutai, Digital Livelihood Project Officer, Crime Si Poa’s greatest motivation is to reach the entire community with the anticrime message. Apart from preparing the youth for a technical world, the organization also empowers young people to be heralds of the anticrime message.

“After this auspicious graduation, sell the anti-crime message far and wide, let people see its breadth and length, let them feel its depth and its height to the end that our community becomes crime-free,” concluded Phanice.  

By Fidel Castro

We are at a time when the political anxiety in the country has taken a worrying trajectory, with a rigorous campaign trail and a fast-approaching general election. With such a trend, Crime Si Poa has taken an initiative to engage the youth and members of the society in a street talk on crime and peace ahead of the August general election, in a bid to avert the possibility of violence.

This month the street conversation has been held along the Kware and Mandazi Streets in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County. Encountering members of society, mostly the youth, has been an eye-opening expedition. We have come across raw issues affecting the community and what would be the reason for unrest in such a time.

 As we traversed the streets of Rongai, it was evident from our interactions that most citizens are pro-peace. They are trying as much as they can to keep calm. However, the mood set by political leaders in the country is to push communities to fight each other to gain political mileage.

“We are peace-loving people, no one wants to cause chaos, we are trying to sensitize ourselves not to cause chaos before, during and after the elections to avert our businesses from being affected by violence,” said Godana, one of the young business people in Rongai, adding “We urge our political leaders to caution themselves against using divisive statements in political rallies. This is what anger supports from different political factions and eventually causes violence.”

Entrepreneurs and business owners lauded the effort by Crime Si Poa to ensure a crime-free society, sighting the urgent need for expanding the good work to the interior parts of Rongai where crime has exasperated.

“I appreciate the work you are doing in our community; indeed, we should keep calm during this electioneering period and continue with our businesses after the elections are done,” Stephen Kenyatta, a garbage collector in Ongata Rongai.

According to the youth and the community members, most youth-related crimes during this electioneering period stem from the lack of job opportunities. The issue of unemployment continues to be a risk to the vision of attaining peace.

“The government should look out for the youth and give us jobs or at least create the opportunities. We are ready to do any work. The youth as well should take personal initiative and create opportunities for themselves.,” Allan Ngare, a business owner.

Crime si Poa continues spreading the peace message through available platforms at whatever cost for we believe that peace is a jewel worth paying the price for.

By Fidel Castro

Over 600 Kilometers were covered, with 12 counties across Kenya visited in 21 days, full of sweat, hunger, thirst, pain, joy, and finally fulfilment. This is the tail of the 1200 peace ambassadors who began their journey on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, preaching peace from Kakamega and culminating it with the final stretch at Sarakasi Dome in Nairobi.

Despite the long trek having a myriad of challenges and a couple of humbling moments, the final stretch was home. The young Kenyas led by a team of 5, took up a rigorous campaign in such a demanding political season. 

According to Yvonne Murugi, one of the members of the Peace Ambassadors Kenya, completion of the peace walk was made possible by the immense support they got from well-wishers and partnering organizations may it be in-kind, financial, or motivation. 

“Completing 600KM huge milestone for all peace champions across the country. Finishing the last mile was made possible by donations, support,  d goodwill from Kenyans. We were highly motivated by the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, “We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom,” said Murugi. 

Murugi further stated that with the fast-approaching general elections, a lot is expected from every citizen in the realization of the county having peaceful elections. 

“Peace is an invaluable asset, it can only be guaranteed by everyone playing their role. As peace ambassadors, we are doing our part of spreading the peace word across the nation. As a law-abiding citizen do your part,” added Murugi. 

Speaking during the awarding of the medals at Sarakasi Dome, Dr. Vincent Makokha, Director, Chaplaincy Counselling Psycho-Social Support, Kenya National Police Service assured the youth of their support as they continue spreading the message of peace. 

“As the National Police Service Kenya, we are proud of you. To fellow officers in the service, thank you for supporting young people throughout the entire stretch of the long walk by ensuring their security is taken care of to complete this noble cause,” said Dr. Makokha adding “We appreciate the great gesture from the church as well, your support contributed immensely to ensuring the young people are motivated to complete the tough walk.”   

He also expressed the need for the mainstream media to be present in such campaigns. “My call to the media is to tell the world of the great things the young people are doing. Stop showing the negative aspect only. This is one of the greatest ventures of this year by the youth. The youth is a huge investment in this County,” he lamented. 

Prof Joseph Galgalo, Bishop, Anglican Church of Kenya, lauded the efforts put in place by the young generation in spreading the message of peace, contrary to the norm of young people being commonly known for instigating and causing violence. 

“There are people who are giving hope, standing for peace and saying things can be different, things can be better and they have come together, particularly this group Peace ambassador of Kenya, to do several activities to sensitize the youth not to be used, and not to cause in conflict or violence Peace and unity in their communities,” said Prof. Galgalo. 

While receiving the peace walk flag from the peace ambassadors, Jacob Ouma, Deputy County Commissioner, Starehe reminded the audience of the terrible ordeal Kenyans find themselves in after every five years. The perilous and gory times when tribal conflicts and killings are usually on the rise and the pain of those times. He pleaded with everyone to carry the message of peace to their respective neighborhoods.

“We have a beautiful nation, only a fool can break down and distort such a beauty. We all have a stake in this nation and must protect it jealously.  No one should distance themself from this venture. Let us hold our hands together and push to the end. When we attain a peaceful environment all of us will be at peace. ,” the DCC concluded. 

Youth in Kisumu City champion for crime free cities during the commencement of the 9^th Africities 2022 Summit yesterday in Kisumu County. Over 100 youth led by the Crime Si Poa leadership team displayed and chanted strong messages calling for African leaders to ensure safer cities for development.

Young people in Africa have been acknowledged as key stakeholders and drivers of safer cities that will steer development, creation of opportunities for the youth and full implementation of United Nations Agenda 2030 & African Union Agenda 2063.

According to Peter Ouko, Executive Director, Crime Si Poa, there is a need for youth engagement in the implementation of government policies and approaches that will help combat crime to ensure safer cities in Kenya and Africa at large.

“Safer cities mean more investment opportunities for those who create jobs. Safer cities definitely translate to more job opportunities for young people. Because investors love predictability, they love security and availability of all the networks that can allow them not only produce the work they do but also ensure workers who work for them are safe and their product can reach the market safely as well,” said Pete adding, “Safer cites means better living and better living means we have to have less crime in our communities.”

Urbanization of African countries and especially Kenya, has seen rapid growth of informal settlements, accompanied by increased levels of crime, violence and lawlessness. People living in the cities face these vices on a daily basis posing a major challenge to the social and economic growth of the cities.

“Instead of young people involving themselves in crime, they should position themselves and take advantage of the opportunities arising in their cities such as the Africities event to make a living out of it,” Said Isaiah Okethi, Kamakowa Jamtaka CBO, Leader.

The Africities Summit 2022 brings together dignitaries and participants from across Africa that seek to strengthen the role of Local and Regional Governments as well as the integration and unity of the continent.

BY Claire Kwamboka

Anyone can be a victim of body shaming, and anyone can be a body-shamer. In Kenya and the world at large body shaming, is so prevalent in everyday life, but it has not been looked at as the highly problematic behaviour that it is. Most often, people would think of it as harmless jokes, rather than cruel bards that hurt deep.

What people need to know is that body-shaming is an indication of discrimination and social bias based on outside appearances. Body shaming refers to saying something negative about a person’s body. The comment can be about age, size, hair, clothes, food, looks and all those aspects that represent a human. It amounts to humiliation and it brings down self-respect and feelings or ideas that our unique appearance is not good enough.

What most Kenyans do not know is that body shaming is a form of bullying that can result in emotional trauma, especially among young people. Body shaming most of the time is done by our friends, family, workmates, random people in the streets and even the media. It could be done knowingly or unknowingly.

The most common cause of body shaming is weight. A person might be cruised for their size, shape, height or colour. In the society that we live in today, someone will be criticized for their looks. What we forget is that no one is ever perfect, you are either too skinny or plus size. The pressure from the media and society makes people want to look in a certain way.

The negative comments that people make about someone can cause people, especially teenagers to engage in unhealthy habits so that they can achieve their goal of looking a certain way. These unhealthy habits can include starving yourself or wanting to bleach which can lead to self-harm, depression, low self-esteem and even trauma.

Women most of the time are very sensitive when it comes to weight. People have different struggles for example some people struggle with losing weight and gaining weight. Such issues make people delicate and when we keep commenting and laughing it brings a feeling of insecurity.

Society today has encouraged a culture where body-shaming is a normal thing. People will make jokes and even call you in the streets by describing your looks. People get jobs based on their looks.

This is a culture that is unhealthy and tends to be detrimental in the long run.  We can overcome body shaming by trying to nurture an environment where everyone feels comfortable with their body shape and skin tone. We must learn not to comment on how people look. Learning to accept the way we are bringing positive body image. Accepting the way, we are and not comparing ourselves with other people’s physical appearance or personality. Lastly eating healthy food, keeping hydrated and exercising.

Youth in Mathare held a Crime and Peace Awareness Campaign Walk to advocate for peace in the area. The campaign, an initiative by Crime Si Poa in partnership with Footprints for Change and Generation Shapers, was in a bid to address the high crime rate in the region.
“Mathare has for a long time been marked as a high-risk area community with cases of theft and robbery with violence on the rise. Young people between the age of 16 to 25 in are being recruited into gangs wreaking havoc in the,” said Ruth Wambui, Crime Si Poa, Community Engagement Officer, adding. “There is therefore need to take action and build cohesion within the community to cultivate peace in the area.”
“Last year a good number of my friends were killed due to crime,” shared Benard a high school student in Mathare who took part in the Peace and Crime awareness campaign. “Crime has hindered many of my friends from achieving their dreams. Majority of them end up using drugs and later engaging in crime. It is time we put a stop to this,” he added.

According to David Lichuma a member of the generation shapers, youth should stand for peace and desire to see a change in Mathare. This was a shared sentiment among many youth members who were at the forefront of the campaign.

“As youth we are saying enough is enough. We must have peace in our hood. We have lost so many of our friends to crime. We don’t want to lose more,” said Lichuma.
The message of peace resonated with majority of the community members, inspiring some to come forward and speak up against crime. Most of the community members called for peace to allow businesses within the area to flourish.
“You don’t have to be a criminal just because you were born in Mathare, there is hope of making a better life for yourself. I was once a criminal, but I reformed, you can also choose to lead a crime-free life,” said Pastor Philip a known community member who encouraged the youth to change their mindsets.

Assistant Chief Mabatini Ward Mugu Njogu, was happy and encouraged to see the youth come together to advocate for peace. He appreciated Crime Si Poa and the partners for coming up with the campaign initiative.

“This peace walk has come at the right time. We urged everyone both the women and men in the community to join the young people in advocating for peace in Mathare,” he concluded.

When Crime Si Poa kicked off the mental health program early this year at the Kisumu Maximum Prison the reception was quite warm, with little hesitation from inmates to open up during the sessions. Inmates, however, became more interactive and found it easier to air their issues with time. 

According to Evans Ndigili, Welfare Officer, Kisumu Maximum Prison, positive responses from the inmates that include attitude and behaviour change are being recorded in the prison.  

“Thank you to Crime Si Poa for offering psycho-social support to inmates, especially through mentorship and counselling sessions. More than ever, hope and positivity can be seen among inmates enrolled in the program compared to before,” said Brian.

The mental health sessions address various issues affecting inmates. The sessions equip them with knowledge and tactics to handle stressors that come with imprisonment. The reformation program will run for one year in 8 prisons across the country hence will help ensure a successful rehabilitation process.

Eric, one of the 72 inmates fortunate to participate in the reformation program divulged how the sessions have helped him find mental peace.

“The topic on intrapersonal conflict is what brought me out of the hole I was in. I was overburdened with bitter thoughts and regrets. It was hard for me to come to terms with what my life has become,” shared Eric

Through the sessions, Eric, a former police officer turned convict, was able to share what was causing those emotions and ultimately address the issue. He was convicted of murdering his wife due to infidelity issues.

“I was an administrative police officer who was extremely reserved. I never used to open up about issues that were affecting me. I know now that If I had spoken out more I wouldn’t be here.” he expressed. 

Eric now embraces the art of sharing as he chooses to accept his fate and trust that no problem is permanent, hoping one day he will be out of the dungeons and speaking out against crime.

John (not his real name for safety purposes) is another beneficiary of the program who has learned how to avoid conflict through effective communication. He was convicted due to a crime he committed over an escalated conflict at home.  John was accused by his family of murdering his cousin who died under mysterious circumstances. According to John his threats to kill his deceased cousin, for allegedly killing his father, turned against him and led his family to accuse him of the murder.

“If I knew what I know now I would probably not be here. My mantra is to listen, digest, and then respond. “I have learned to be more patient with both the prison guards and other inmates as well,” said John. 

Having been incarcerated due to a home conflict that turned sour, John understands how a small misunderstanding can easily lead one to gallows. He is currently working on appealing his case.

Research has shown that psychological trauma faced by inmates while in prison highly influences their rehabilitation process negatively. Providing psycho-social support to inmates, is, therefore, a key element in addressing cases of suicide, reducing the rates of re-offending, and promoting successful reintegration into the community.

At first glance, one can not tell what Fredrick (not his real name), an inmate at one of the prisons we work in, has been through. His blooming face and happy demeanour do not reflect in any way the physical and psychological trauma he’s fought to overcome rape ordeal the prison. 

Incarcerated at the young age of 19 years, Fredrick was in no way prepared for what awaited on the other side. His first encounter in prison almost threw him off the edge. As soon as he stepped into the prison, Fredrick became a target for the older inmates because of his young age.  

“I contemplated committing suicide multiple times. Something wrong was done to me. They put medicine in my porridge, made me dress like a woman, and raped me. I was later taken to hospital for treatment,” painfully revealed Fredrick. 

With such few words, he disclosed a harrowing experience that can never be erased from his mind. Fredrick revealed. From the first minutes of sharing his story, it was clear that he was still stigmatized from the experience.

“The incident messed up my mind. I didn’t understand why it happened to me. In my sorrow, I decided to lean on a friend and that was the best decision I ever made. It took continuous encouragement from the friend for me to heal from the trauma. I remember he kept repeating these words “It was not your fault, the abuse was not your fault,” sorrowful narrated Fredrick.

According to Fredrick, his experience taught him how opening up can lead one to the path of healing and inspired him to counsel other young inmates. Through counselling sessions, he began speaking to encourage and give other victims of sexual harassment hope. He also approaches new young inmates to help prevent the same ordeal from happening to them. 

“Despite my counsel, some young inmates, unfortunately, get trapped to sodomy. Some as innocent victims others enter into it of their own volition. Mainly to get better treatment, better food, and other benefits,” lamented Abisai.  

Fredrick has been conducting peer-to-peer counselling for the past six years and has helped some inmates desist from engaging in sodomy for material gain and many of the young inmates who were victimized to find peace. 

“Despite the efforts we put in, not all heed the counsel given. Unfortunately, we have cases of 3 people, who contracted HIV Aids and died which was very unfortunate,” he added.

According to Fredrick, reform programs like the one conducted by Crime Si Poa help reach out to more individuals who would never give him an ear. 

“There are people through mentorship offered by Crime Si Poa who have desisted from engaging in sodomy. Through this program I hope to expand my knowledge and skills to reach out to more inmates,” He concluded.

Vivian Mukumu, a partner psychologist in the CSP prisons outreach project (phoenix), disclosed that victims of sexual assault in prison are usually looked upon as being unmanly because they couldn’t defend themselves. This destroys their self-esteem and often drives them into depression causing them to withdraw from others. 

“It is difficult for such victims to cope after such a traumatic experience. They often require continuous psychological sessions to develop their self-esteem and learn coping skills to help them fully function again” Vivian explained.  

Mentorship sessions conducted in prisons often only reach a fraction of the prison population. To ensure other inmates also benefit from the program peer to peer counselling is key. People like Abisai play an important role in inspiring change in prisons.

Economic empowerment of young people, particularly youth at risk is at the core of our organizations’ intervention. Throughout our different programs, we help “teach the youth how to fish” by training them on profitable skills like beading, soap making, and ICT to create a sustainable source of revenue which is a key pathway to crime eradication.

Denzel Pius, a class 6 student from Migos Primary School is one of the children who has benefited from one of our skills training projects. His hope is that the money gotten from beads he makes and sells will support his parents in financing his academics.

Denzel is a representation of all the children who have benefited from the bead-making sessions conducted through Kamakowa Jam Taka CBO, one of the youth partner groups in Kisumu.  

“When we first started the bead-making training over two years ago we were unable to sustain the project bringing it to a halt. As a young CBO, we lacked the finances to fund the project. We had to sort out for help. This is when we approached Crime Si Poa (CSP) who supported us immensely,” said Isaiah Adhiambo, Kamakowa Jam Taka leader. 

According to Bilha Achieng, Kamakowa Jam Taka’s secretary, since the intervention of CSP, last year the group successfully revamped the bead-making sessions, conducting two sessions a week consistently. 

“So far we have trained about 20 children between the ages of 4 and 11 years on bead-making. This has helped young people not only learn skills and earn a living but also avert crime and being in conflict with the law,” said Bilha.

Roselyn Achieng Opiyo a resident of Kamakowa and a mother to one of the beneficiaries could not hold back her gratitude for the impact the project has had on her son. Revealing that, raising a child in the slums is challenging enough, more so for a male child.  The sessions not only keep her son occupied but also made him learn a profitable skill.

“I’m very happy to see my son making these beads and my only hope is that this new skill will eventually pay off financially as it’s much needed,” added Roselyn.  

The group leader further stated that the funds gathered from the project are banked in our account and are mostly used in case of an emergency involving a child or offer support to vulnerable children or help pay for their school fees. 

“ So far we have not raised much. Our goal is to centralize the selling of the beads and look for a bigger market so that we can effectively support the children,” concluded Isaiah.