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07 Right Livelihood Award She Shared Her Experience As Also Active with Responding to Mediation

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07 Right Livelihood Award She Shared Her Experience As Also Active with Responding to Mediation September to November 2011 BREAKING THE SILENCE ISSUE NO. 7 Wajir Live newsletter kshs 30/= Drought Persists Amid Growing Desperation Wajir County is currently experiencing the worst drought in decades. The situation is touching. Many ani- mals perished. People from all corners of the County shared their predicament with Wajir Live. Goats drinking water at a borehole in Dilmanyale village, Wajir. Many people have moved to the village because of this water source. See more drought photos on page 8 and 9. Photos/Mohamed. Other Stories Orphans spend their Dekha Ibrahim gone Fighting Back the Famine: lives in the back-line too Soon A 10 point plan They have no place they call home, their "In knowing her there were many as- The causes of poverty can be summarized eyes stare at an uncertain future and their pects of her personality that moved me into illiteracy, harsh climatic conditions, childhood innocence is ravaged by lack deeply: her passionate commitment and poor local leadership, brain drain and of care. Read about how the so-called idealism which translated into a continu- negligence by the government.In order to war on terror led by the West has shat- ous activism for social justice,.... Abdi provide a solution to the massive poverty tered the lives and dreams of orphans. Pg3 Billow -WPDA Pg4 level in North Eastern Kenya, Salah tell us how. Pg7 www.neponline.net Your gateway 2 Northern kenya Contact us and advertise here - [email protected] Page 2 EDITORIAL & COMMENTARY Sep -Nov. 2011/Wajir Live Asalam Aleikum dear readers. It’s with profound pleasure The Untold Splendor of once more to release the 7th edition of your favorite news- letter–WAJIR LIVE. Wajir Wajir County is still grappling with the drought, many live- stock have perished, children affected. In this issues we cap- tured the drought in pictures from the around the County and it’s heartrending. The so-called war on terror has also put lives of orphans on the back-line, their dream and as- piration shattered. The Islamic donor agencies closed by the West and blacklisted as orga- nizations ’sponsoring terrorist activities’. The hearing-impaired members of our society are also given The county boosts of Yahuud dam synonymous for its small fishes, saline water and voice and the revelations are Giraffes. Photo/Mohamed Ali striking. Moreover, the county boosts of Despite the potential of the BY: MOHAMED AHMED Yahuud dam synonymous for its county in achieving heights in Salah Abdi, the re-known au- OMAR (FAROL) small fishes and saline water. development, it is sad and thor of the ‘Blood on the run- way’ is given tips on how to al- The 3km ran-way airport and disheartening to see resident A ride across the greater Wajir leviate the ever-recurring fam- the strategic position of the drowning in abject poverty, reveals the beauty of its ine in Northern Kenya and he town, the newly booming livestock perishing with no environs. In spite of the is doing it in ten points!! ravaging drought and the resorts and the ready skilled salvage and youth burry their symbolic scorch of the sun's labour market make it a heads in their knees in utter Gone too soon!!! We also pay heat, its richness is self - destination of fantasy. Its disgust. tribute to Dekha Ibrahim Abdi- imposing and beyond pity. the peace and conflict resolu- diverse nature is depicted by The remedy to disparage is tion champion. Her tragic death the agricultural plains of the none but the rise of an The industrious herdsmen and can not be fully expressed in south, the arable mountains of alternative leadership that hears the innovative business people, words. The gap she left can not the north, the establishment of the impressive desert flora and the whispers and cries of the be filled. We truly lost a hero- the spectacular hills, gum and resins factory at the hearts of its lachrymose ine. notwithstanding the warmth of east and the prospect of mineral constituents; one that inspires As for Wajirians may Allah Wajirans belie the ill-conceived water in the western frontier bless us all. us to dream more. imaginations of the pessimists. Enjoy!!! punctuating its splendor. Adow THE TEAM Editor: Adow Moahmed Content Editor & Design Layout: Mohamed Ali. Writers: Mohamed Ahmed Omar, Ahmed Abdi, Abdullahi Jamaa, Mohamed Ali, Adow Mohamed, Salah Abdi. WAJIR LIVE: is a publication of Wajir Live Initiative Group -a voluntary youth organization. Email: [email protected]/[email protected] www.neponline.net Sep -Nov. 2011/Wajir Live FEATURE Page 3 Orphans spend their lives in the back-line By: Abdullahi Jamaa Seeing the Feature hey have no place they call home, their eyes T stare at an uncertain fu- ture and their childhood inno- cence is ravaged by lack of care. As young as they are, these in- nocent orphans of Northeast- ern Kenya are found either toil- ing as domestic servants or en- gaged in an active child labour to the worst. Poor and helpless, He has been putting up at the centre since he was five years old. Both of his parents died before he could even speak well. The orphanage located in the periphery of Wajir town one of Orphans: They take quranic lesson at poverty-stricken Wajir Islamic Centre the poorest districts in North- Photo Abdullahi Jamaa eastern Kenya operates on the 150 orphans some of whom razor’s edge. “The frustration was too much, The suffering of the orphans lost both of their parents were He sleeps on ragged mattress, we were worried about children was enormous and the poor sent back to their homes and apart from his uniform that he without parents, and we had to centre registered the children guardians. wears on school days, the en- keep some of them in our back, especially the vulner- terprising Issa puts on tattered homes” Sheikh Al-Amiri ex- able. Few years later and after the clothes. plains. September 11th, some other And he has a striking dream. “I In July 2003, the Saudi Ministry The closure of Alharamian, organizations who were indi- would like to be an MP” he said of Information announced that all was the biggest blow to the rectly engaged in helping the “to lead and develop my poor NGOs had been barred from orphanage that supported orphans could barely channel community” sending funds abroad. them in both religious and their resources. Wajir Islamic Centre where he Over the years, the US led war secular education. “Around this time the war on stays now hosts only 50 vulner- on terrorism has seen helpless terrorism was gaining momen- able orphans who depend on children like Issa to lack basic Saudi’s biggest lenders to the tum” the principal says. local individual and well-wish- support. They bear the brunt of Muslim world, Alharamain The fate of the centre took a ers for their daily care. a war they were not party to. Foundation and International strange twist when its donors “At first we supported more Islamic Relief, both of the or- Alharamain Foundation and In- than 200 orphans, they got the More than 20 orphanage centers ganizations are no longer op- ternational Islamic relief faced best accommodation including in the region have suffered the erating, and nobody is yet to restrictions to channel their as- payment of their school fees wrath, casting doubt on the lives fill the gab they left. sistance. and medical care” says Shiekh of the innocent children. This was the beginning of hard Abdullahi Al-Amiri the princi- Cash strapped centers are now Their funds were frozen fol- economic times when thou- pal. operating with unreliable support lowing US government allega- sands of orphans in the impov- After the 1998 US embassies from Muslim locals in the region. tions that some Muslim chari- erished region suffered follow- bombings in Kenya and Tan- ties operating in Kenya and ing the Washington led war on zania , the centre suffered the Much to their suffering, provid- Tanzania were sponsoring ter- terror. biggest financial setback after ing their daily ration was the big- rorist networks. At one point, Wajir Islamic two of its donors were black gest problem. “You can’t keep Centre was closed for months listed as organisations sponsor- young children without food, they due to the unprecedented freez- ing terrorist activities. were too young to understand ing of assistance. what is happening” he notes. Continue on Page 5 Page 4 NEWS Sep -Nov. 2011/Wajir Live Suffering in silence Mohamud's story and those By Abdullahi Jamaa of other deaf children, who attended Wajir School for the Ten-year-old Mohamed Deaf, for now hides in the Mohamud stands by the side shadows of the big acacia of his head teacher Ms. Kheira trees that dotted the rocky Kassim at Wajir School for the school ground. Only few people know that Deaf. there is school for the deaf, Dressed in uniform, he holds much of the communities here, Ms. Kassim’s black gown as do not believe that hard-of- she occasionally wipes gust of hearing-children can be edu- dust that blows on the face of cated like their normal ones. the young deaf boy. Born to hearing parents at And Wajir School for the Deaf Malka-Mari a pastoral village that was started 5 years ago in neighbouring Mandera dis- had only 108 deaf students, an indication of an ill-presumed trict, some 350KM Northeast Mohamed Mohamud of Wajir, young Mohamud his best foot forward just to perception of the residents to- children who struggle against have come to search for edu- emerge from the inexorable il- wards educating the deaf.
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