Roles of Social Workers & Developers

Interviewee

Mercy Kiyapyap

CABESI Assistant Director, Social Worker

Interviewers

Alison M. Jones

NWNL Director and Photographer

Bonnie Muench

Photographer and Book Designer

Kapenguria, Kenya, on January 14, 2013

Introductory Note

Mercy, albeit still young and learning, is determined to support local and neighboring communities. She grasps the limitations of illiteracy and poverty, and feels developers arriving from “the outside” could be a wonderful stepping-stone to improving lives. But at the same time, she wants to ensure the vibrant cultures in the Lake Turkana region aren’t stepped upon.

As investors and developers bring in the modern world, her two prime concerns are to help recognize and support existing cultures and respect the value of women. She, like many Kenyan women, has found deep inspiration from the Nobel-Peace-Prize-winning deforestation successes of Wangari Maathai.

Outline

NEED for CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
POTENTIAL VALUE of DEVELOPMENT
BURDENS of BEING a WOMAN
WANGARI MAATHAI’S LEGACY

Key Quote The Turkana should not be displaced when developers come in. There should be discussion and harmonization. Questions should be answered on how they can continue their traditional living and best adapt to new development. – Mercy Kiyapyap

NEED FOR CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

NWNL Hello Mercy, before we start our journey to explore communities in this region, what is your background and involvement in this land of Turkana and Pokot tribes?

MERCY KIYAPYAP I am a social worker by profession; so when I see people living their normal life, I admire it. I never want to destroy what exists, but rather cultivate what exists.

NWNL How does your support of traditional cultural values play out with the Turkana community around Lake Turkana’s Eliye Springs where you’ve worked?

MERCY KIYAPYAP The major challenge is that after we discovered Lake Turkana, others bought the place and developed it. I worry about the community. People come to work there now from outside, and I feel there is little harmony between locals and the developers. It’s good to have developers, but the traditional Turkana community should be included in what is going to happen and should be able to ask, “This is our place, and we’d like to know what you are here to do?” The developers know what they want to do; and at the same time, the communities know they have the right to live in their traditional manner. The developers should accept that this community was there since the beginning. The Turkana should not be displaced when developers come in. There should be discussion and harmonization. Questions should be answered on how they can continue their traditional living and best adapt to new development. Development is good, but not 100% positive. So, there should be mitigation and discussion on how to deal with the negatives of development.

NWNL Do you see a chance for positive outcomes in this “clash” of cultural objectives and values, despite current negative attitudes?

MERCY KIYAPYAP Sadly, there is a lack appreciation that the Turkana embody a rich culture and a lack of sensitization within the community regarding outside developers and how they will proceed. The local people need to accommodate outsiders who mistakenly think, “This is our water, our beach, our properties.” Both sides must understand access rights and work together. The community needs to understand the roles of the developer, the community and the county council, because they get the money for lease.

POTENTIAL VALUE of DEVELOPMENT

NWNL You say the developers need to recognize community needs. What are the community’s greatest issues or biggest needs?

MERCY KIYAPYAP I first think of education. We have a high rate of illiteracy. Many students drop out of school because of poverty.

Related to illiteracy, are the issues of poverty and hunger. Once I suggested to Rolf Gloor (CABESI Director) that we launch an education project to support the bright kids from local communities – maybe 3 to 5 every year. Developers or developing organizations could tell the County Council that they would cover 50% of the cost.

And to benefit for the villages of poverty-stricken residents the developers cold help in creating markets for local products. For instance, the women in Eliye Springs [on the shore of Lake Turkana) weave beautiful baskets. The developers could offer ideas on how to make better baskets, perhaps with designs from all over the world. A developer could also connect these weavers with the outside market and facilitate the export of local products. That could feed whole families. Remember, the men only know fish on the lake. But with developers’ guidance, they could learn other careers.

NWNL Would outside folks coming to guide development be accepted?

MERCY KIYAPYAP That’s a problem those of us who are educated face. I’ve worked with illiterate women who make great things. When I suggest new ideas, they usually accept them and build on them. They’ll ask, “What if I add this or that?” Even those who are illiterate well understand what I tell them and implement new ideas perfectly.

BURDENS of BEING a WOMAN

MERCY KIYAPYAP All involved should be proud of the women and confident in them. We cannot criticize them for being illiterate. No! is my appeal to all developers, whether around Lake Turkana or any other lake. I went to Kisumu where the Illiteracy rate is very high and most victims are women. When there is poverty, the victims are women because when children cry, they call for mama, not papa. They need food. How can women then also be employed?

When there is local conflict between tribes, the victims are women. When the husband is killed, a woman is a widow. When a kid is killed, the woman cries — she carried that baby for 9 months. I think we as women, whether black or white, have relationship chains which are very long. I would like to see more support women. We are the real strength of this world, and women can move our communities ahead. When anything new pops up, women can be questioning. But when we decide we go for it, we go for it- we don’t say, “Later….” We are ready for anything.

NWNL Yes, women are always interested in success, and change if necessary – especially if will improve the lives of those in their family. In Kenya you have one amazing example of one woman creating great change – Wangari Maathai.

WANGARI MAATHAI’S LEGACY

NWNL Tell me about your feelings about Wangari Maathai?

MERCY KIYAPYAP Wangari Maathai is our hero. She fought, not stopping even a moment, whether crying tears, whether bleeding after she was beaten, or whether jailed. She was always strong. After each battle, she came out so strong, again. It’s like she was giving us help when she was facing her problems. I admire her; and I wish all women would have that power to come out and not stop. Nothing stopped Wangari Maathai from her fight.

NWNL How would you explain what she accomplished?

MERCY KIYAPYAP At the end of her efforts, Kenya has forests all over. In the Constitution now it says we should plant trees. What’s left is only for our leaders to accept why Wangari was crying. They’ve realized since Wangari died and with this global warming, that there is a danger they didn’t see it when Maathai was singing. They didn’t understand what she saw needed to be done. I admire her for fighting up to the end. But pity our leaders, because they realized her concerns only after she was gone. I wish they could have congratulated her when she was still alive, and even properly presented awards to her from the Kenyan government.

NWNL But the world gave her the Nobel Peace Prize – a global award.

MERCY KIYAPYAP Yes, yes.

NWNL It’s the biggest award one could get.

MERCY KIYAPYAP Even in Kenya during her battle, she was respected like no one else. At least since her death, they’ve planted so many trees to respect her. Those of us who knew her are still admire her. We say, “Yes, ma’am, you did it; and we will do it, we will move on, and we will keep the fire.” So, we must follow footsteps of Wangari Maathai.

And here, we now have an opportunity to continue her efforts to plant trees. This Turkana region is also a very nice location for beekeeping. We need to install more beehives here. I believe that helps achieve something else Wangari Maathai would have liked – when we introduce beekeeping in Turkana, people will be forced to plant more trees. The desert will be improved by those efforts. So, environmental change can work. Yes!

NWNL What a great tribute to one of Kenya’s national heroes! And what a continuing source of inspiration for you!

Posted by NWNL on May 16, 2024.
Transcription edited and condensed for clarity by Alison M. Jones.

Roles of Social Workers & Developers Omo River Basin