Peace

Forging ethnic bonds in unsettling times

Following the highly-controversial 2007 presidential election in Kenya, widespread violence broke out between different ethnic groups. Many were beaten or killed, and others lost their homes and all their worldly belongings. Tribal-owned businesses were targeted through looting, crushing the livelihoods of thousands of Kenyans. Today, as displaced people begin to resettle – with the unsettling expectation of violence at the 2012 presidential elections – they need a way to generate an income to rebuild their lives.

Across East Africa there are many other conflict and post-conflict areas where Village Enterprise can work to address peace. Village Enterprise’s Peace and Business Initiative was framed to broadly achieve the following:

Create peer-owned businesses that serve as role models for how people of different tribes can work together to promote economic development and lead their generation in building a more peaceful Kenya.
Empower Kenyans to start businesses that will provide much-needed income while enabling life-transforming investment into the education, nutrition, housing and sanitation for their families.

See ‘Peace’ in Action

Program Highlights

Two or more ethnic groups represented in each business group
Business owners serve as “Peace Advocates” in their communities and participate in savings groups
Peace and Reconciliation training built into curriculum

Impact to Date

276 micro-businesses comprised of at least 2 tribes funded since July 2009
1,280 micro-entrepreneurs from several tribes of Kenya
90% of the participants felt “more friendly” and 10% felt “friendly” towards ethnic groups with whom they’d had the greatest conflict (based on evaluation completed in July 2010)