President Obama greets a young participant after a roundtable discussion with civil society leaders at Kenyatta University in Nairobi on Sunday. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit(GES) held in Nairobi encouraged international interaction and business advancement whilst Obama?s forum at Kenyatta University focused on Kenya?s progress in improving the standard of living at community level, as well as issues concerning conservation. The forum reflected the trend and recognition that the two where essentially entwined in rural areas, where cooperation between communities and conservationists was integral in securing a better future by protecting of Kenya?s natural heritage.
After his speech at Kenyatta University encompassing a number of important subjects including equal opportunities for women and better education for the less fortunate, President Obama met with a smaller group of driven civil society leaders. 5 individuals presented their projects, and top of the list was community advancement and conservation. Later President Obama opened the floor to additional initiatives involving that also concentrated on community advancement.
Tom Lalampaa began by introducing the ?Northern Ranch land Trust,? consisting of 30-based conservancies, enhancing its communities with Micro Finance, agricultural advancement conserving precious land, and water irrigation; all united by a firm conservation program acting as the driving force towards peace between livestock and wildlife! Tom ended stating that, ?if communities are not peaceful, neither can elephants be peaceful,?and by asking the USA to take a solid stand in crushing the demand for ivory. Tom was awarded the Tusk Conservation Award by the Duke of Cambridge in recognition of his outstanding contribution to northern Kenya?s communities and wildlife.
President Obama acknowledged that without community development incentives wildlife loses! Dr. Paula Kahumbu of ?Wildlife Direct,? stressed that 30,000 elephants are being killed annually at a rate of 1 every fifteen minutes! She accredited corruption for these alarming figures, adding, ?I want the whole world to love elephants. We want to empower people to save elephants not just for the benefit of Africa.? She highlighted that ivory trafficking finances terrorism; hence Kenya is now at the center of new judicial laws, which for the first time has put a renowned ivory dealer behind bars. Dr. Kahumbu ended by asking President Obama to ?please take back this message to the American people. DON?T BUY IVORY and punish Ivory traffickers as sternly as you do money launderers.? She was upbeat and optimistic that the ivory trade could quicklybe crushed if firm measures were taken by those with the power to implement them.
President Obama made reference to the States tightening embargos with countries at the heart of the ivory trade and that his country was encouraging Asian nations to enforce laws against the ivory trade. It sounded promising but did it lack the urgency and substance conservationists seek if elephants are to survive?
The forum also discussed developments in carving a better future for its nations children through ?child rights activists.? Humble 16 years old Lynette stood up to describe disturbing contrasts children face, growing up in Kenya. She told the forum about her best friend who was yanked from school at the age of 12 to face genital mutilation and a marriage to a far older man. Whilst Lynette succeeded in moving on to secondary school her close friend is already the mother of two and has no future of her own. In complete contrast Lynette spoke of her dream of reaching Harvard in the US and becoming a cardiologist. She said she initially dared not harbor dreams about her future, but when she reached secondary school she suddenly realized that her dreams were possible. Shegrew confident and felt there was no turning back; yet she still aches at the insanity of her dear friend?s circumstances. It was a moving testimony by a passionate and admirable young girl. Kenya?s very own teen with the heart of a lion, mirroring the courage and determination of Pakistan?s famous girl student, Malala Yousafzai.
President Obama too was touched Lynette?s words and emphasized that dreams give way to motivation,which should lead to mentorship and progressive development. He went on to stress that a strong presence of women and vital peer pressure from mothers helps ensure girl pupils complete school, in addition to guiding misadvised youths and preventing terrorist propaganda aimed at teens.
?Shinning Hope for Communities? who planted a girl?s school in Nairobi?s Kabera slum, epitomized combating gender inequality and extreme poverty, whilst ?Sisters without Borders? (counteracting violence across borders) impressed President Obama with their suggestion of establishing an African based hub for capacity building through easy access at grass roots.
Nairobi is a buzz after the 2015 Global Entrepreneur Summit (GES) held in Kenya last weekend. Kenya new generation of young capitalists symbolizes the fastest growing economy in sub-Sahara Africa. It is home to the ingenious ?Mpesa? and mobile marketing ?M-Farmer? applications as well as the EBV electronic voting system (now being utilized in Pakistan) ? and with 1 billion dollars promised by the USA for worldwide support in entrepreneurship one hopes a proportion will go to supporting Kenya?s aspiring youth.
The Kenyatta University Forum was even more effectual and arguably more passionate. It touchedat the heart of matter, including the development and future of all of Kenya?s people and its priceless natural resources.
As President Uhuru Kenyatta so aptly put ?Kenya?s freedom, democracy and development is up to the Kenyans,? but every bit helps and Obama?s visit was certainly inspiring.
Kenya?s strongest assets include its nations competitiveness and a hunger for growth. A rising number want to secure its development by also protecting its natural resources and if the inspiring words that flowed from the lips of Kenyans at the Kenyatta University Civil Society Forum are anything to go by, they are definitely on the right path.
?We plant a tree not because we will enjoy it but because our children will. We did not inherit from our forefathers, but we borrow from our children.
By Colleen Hogg
Photography4life.org
