Post by Onyango Oloo on Mar 13, 2019 14:01:15 GMT 3
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress
Luanda Dudi, Muhaka Sub-Location, Kisa West, Kakamega County
P.O.Box 136-40610 Yala
Tel: (254)757-457-584
Email: onyango.oloo@gmail.com
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress is a community-based organization based in Western Kenya which first of all relies on community support fors sustenance. It is funded by various donors including private individuals, county governments, the national governments, NGOs and others;
The original Barrack Obama was a Kenyan and a socialist.
The Centre is named after him, who without him we would not have the junior namesake who became world famous and serve two terms as one of the most admired Presidents of the United States of America.
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress is set up for preace, conflict transformation, empowerment of women, advancement of youth, promotion of people with disabilities, equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people, highlight issues of people with HIV/AIDS and other ailments, underscore the need for climate change awareness,fight for workers, peasants and all working people, deepen democracy and devolution and campaign tirelessly for social progress;
It was started by people who have over twenty five years of experience in doing community projects, campaigning for human rights and social justice,conducting HIV/AIDS work, women's empowerment and doing climate change networking.
Its geographic focus will be in Kakamega, Siaya, Kisumu and surrounding counties and will concentrate on collaborating with community members, especially workers,peasants, women and youth.
The goal of the organization is to be a sustainable, viable community organization which through community support effects real change in the lives of the people of western Kenya.
FOCUS:
Social Progress
The core of he Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress founders are long time political, social, economic, cultural and environmental veterans and campaigners.
Therefore, among the Centre's preoccupations will be the pursuit of social progress and overall human development. Social Control, protection of children, supporting people with disabilities, widows, orphans and other vulnebal populations.
Peace
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress, basing itself on the concrete experience of history, politics, economics and culture of Kenya is aware of the litany of conflicts, violence, strife and disharmony that has bedeviled the country and the East African region.
Starting from the immediate period after Kenyan independence, the country has been wrought by tribal, clan and community conflicts. There was a horrendous period in 2007-2008 where thousands lost their lives, people got raped, sexually molested and hundreds were displaced from their homes. Over the last few years Kenya has gone through terrorist attacks and threats.
Also civil wars and other internal conflicts in the neighbouring countries led to a flood of refugees and asylum seekers to Kenya.
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will have one of its primary focus the promotion of peace in Kenya and the East and Central African region.
Conflict Transformation
A much richer and more nuanced concept than mere conflict resolution, confliction transformation sees conflict as involving more than two sides in antagonism but goes beyond other factors; not seeing really anything negative about conflict but sees that conflict is part of natural human activities and is normal among siblings, friends, colleagues and work mates but ony becomes a problem to be tackled and resolved when it takes a violent manifestation.
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will actively promote the deeper concept of conflict transformation.
Women Empowerment
More than half of Kenya's population is female. It is also the segment that is mostly affected with issues such as poverty, domestic violence, unemployment,political marginalization and other socio-economic factors.
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will actively recruit and mobilize women in all its activities.
Youth
The majority of Kenya's population is young. They are also the future nation.Therefore, the bulk of the participants in the Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will be the youth.
Democracy and Devolution:
These will be among the most important issues pursued by the Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress.
Labour Rights, Farming and Trade
As a recently rurally located progressive Kenyan, Onyango Oloo will use his wherwithall to rally the community in all three issues;
Land and the Environment
Will be two additional areas the Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will focus on.
HIV/AIDS and other health issues
Onyango Oloo, the founding Executive Director of the Centre is himself open about his own HIV Positive status. In addition, he has more than twenty five years experience as an educator, peer counselor and founder of two HIV/AIDS community organizations. The Barrack Centre for Social Progress is physically located in an area of Kenya with a very high given degree of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will be a useful community resource for combating the affliction especially its close proximity to a near by health clinic, a primary as well as a secondary school, a polytechnic and several churches. The Centre will also collaborate with the nearby health clinic on TB and other health issues.
Community Media and Publishing
Onyango Oloo has over fifteen years experience doing community radio; television and newspapers in Canada. He plans to jump start Dunia FM as a Kiswahili/ English radio station focusing on news; current affairs and music. Other proposed board members have similar experience as writers, journalists, bloggers and media practitioners. The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Change will also set up a website, magazines, newspapers and run a progressive press.
Climate Change Awareness
The matter concerning climate change has seeped beyond the NGO corridors and international conferences.
It had now emerged as one of the leading matters dealing with human survival on planet earth.
The Barrack Obama Centre for Social Progress will make the climate change awareness one of its main raison detres.