Tuesday, 18 September 2007

Jacob Mwaniki Ireri

MZEE BUBU not know if it is true but read on

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from (comments)

We have learnt that Jacob Mwaniki Ireri who was a student at Machakos Teacher College is now at Gallaudet University becoming the second young man from Kenya to go to Gallaudet only 3 weeks after graduating from MTC after Nickson Kakiri.This point emphasizes that any deaf person can get something prosperous provided he/she works harder for
the benefits of the less fortuneaa.Before Joining Gallaudet,jacob has established a Self Help Project in his own district that has so far been benefting deaf persons in Embu,Njeri.Mwea and Mbeere and even part of Meru.He also was the among top 300 winners who participated in believe begin become competition organized by Ministry of youth Affairs.He surprised many as he was the only deaf person.However,he got two luckies at the same time.He chose to go to Gallaudet instead of attending the seminar for MOYA.Jacob proposed to implement a foundation to be named `Jacob Foundation`to ovesee how to meet the needs of Deaf Young Women especially in areas of Family planning,jobs creation and acquistion and to ovesee how they can learn more about business.Jacob will continue to work with Central Kenya Deaf Association where he has been General Secretary,he believes deaf dreams to come into reality lies into CKDA,.jacob appealled to deaf Kenyans in Kenya to be cooperative in every efforts and that is one way to reach a grea length of development.`Competition for success is a killer`

Monday, 17 September 2007

update on GDC job

Mzee Bubu got info from his informer who asked Nickson Kakiri the Chair of GDC Kenya yesterday.

The email that is sent to Mzee Bubu seemed 100% genuine but big false look. No proof it is Peter Wango. Who?

No confirm who got the job. Nickson with clean pants have no idea. Joel with dirty pants have an idea but laugh laugh say mzungu powerful. Kenyans nothing. No power.

1. Mzee Bubu knows Peter Wango and Mzungu-eyed Dominic have applied for GDC job. They desperate, desperate!

2. Joel wants Stephen M. - but Stephen M. fired from CARE Kenya why why?

3. Joel got no management skills. Jamaica Deaf Federation say Joel not good. They not give him top level jobs. They do not trust him. You can ask Jamaica Deaf Federation. No one want Joel Mzungu in Jamaica. Jamaica very stong ask him leave leave. They complain Joel smell, no wash.

Management + Joel = NIL
Kenya + Joel = BAD MANAGEMENT

4. GDC have no office in Kenya. They pretend they got it. Where is it?

5. Mzee Bubu heard hear Joel will leave Kenya when December go back 2 America. Stay there for good. Deaf Kenyans very happy. No tear tear cry for Joel Mzungu. They will not give him the Kisii soap as good bye leaving present.

6. Joel make more rules stupid rules for deaf students at Machakos. He now the principal of Machakos Teacher College?

7. no interpreter for the deaf teacher at Kenyatta. Many many promises by Joel and his dirty pants. No support. The teacher suffer confused lost not understand. now back in luoland confused angry.

8. Joel Mzungu go and clean his dirty pants first. Then clean his bad management skills. Stop drinking kumi kumi with Nickson. Nickson have his pants washed clean every day by Opiyo his housegirl.

Saturday, 15 September 2007

GDC Program Coordinator Interview

from: Joel Runnels

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Dear Stephen Gachuhi,

I am pleased to announce that you have been selected as our new Programme Coordinator at GDC - Kenya.

Your extensive NGO at Care Kenya experience and lack of corrupt past won over the GDC Board in the end.

Please report to our offices on Monday.

Your faithfully,

Joel Runnels

Wednesday, 05 September 2007

Halting the Mask of Benevolence:- Empowering the Deaf Kenyans

Dear Mzee Bubu,

Here is an article I have for your blog....Please publish for the interest of your readers. thanks JO

Halting the Mask of Benevolence:- Empowering the Deaf Kenyans.

As a friend to the Deaf People in Kenya and throughout the world, I have come to appreciate and be part of a dynamic culture, heritage and history of the Deaf Kenyans. I have met some of the most brilliant people in this community and worked with some very excellent programs working with the Deaf.

However we have had several organizations come to Kenya masquarading as missionaries of benevolence helping and giving hope to the Deaf Kenyans. This has become a multi million venture where people of great intentions are sucked into the unending cycle of oppression, dictatorship and neocolonialism disempowering the Deaf leaders and reducing it to beggers and sweets/cigar peddlers and hawkers.

In 1985 SHIA and the Swedish Deaf people helped Kenya form and manage a national Deaf association. 20 Years later we are back at zero due to lack of capacity and empowerement. This is not to discredit SHIA or paint black it's good name, we acknowledge and are thankful for the benevolence and goodwill though we recognize there have been several mistakes and gaps in this process. Personally I still believe that KNAD was disadvantaged to be funded by one donor for that long without systems or mechanism for accountability and transparency.


Over the last two decades there have been several organizations coming into Kenya and establishing 'great' project ideas and visions. Sadly they have not learnt from the mistakes of their forefather - Perpetuation of the Mask of Benevolence. My opinion is that these organizations have never appreciated community entry approaches, view the Deaf as objects of benevolence and not partners in development and are 'copy/pasting' foreign solutions to complex local issues. Many of these organizations have fueled the continued oppression of the Deaf Kenyans, muzzled the voices of the weak and poor while 'eating the ugali' in their big mansions and driving huge luxurious cars in the name of 'helping' Deaf Kenyans. To name a few such initiatives -

- sponsorship of Deaf children....this is not a new thing in Kenya. KSDC has been doing it since 1950s - WHY Replecate?

- digital/interactive KSL manual/dictionary or learning resource - in 2003 Peace Corps volunteers and KSLRP developed an infrastructure for this. Nothing new under the sun ...dah!!!

- support for KNAD to pass through a foreign INGO? this in my opinion is the highest form of neo colonial mask I have ever seen. How can the monkey sit in the jury judging the matters of the forest?

- We need championing in the area of Deaf blindness - many blind Kenyans have a voice but not the Deaf blind -why?

- We do not have a parents of the Deaf initiative making noise for policy change in the education of the Deaf - Free primary education is a case in point - Deaf children receive KES 2,000 compared to the other who receive 5 or even ten times the amount What went wrong? - Simple wrong people being consulted and key stakeholders being neglected period!

As a Kenyan and a critic of these initiatives and organizations I would like to elaborate the key priorities of the Deaf Kenyans as expressed by faceless Deaf Kenyans in English and in a non threatening environment:-

Clearly we have the following priorities that need to be addressed:-

1. Recognition and acceptance of Kenyan Sign Language as the native language of the Kenyan Deaf people - It is the official language for business, instraction and mode of transfering culture and Deaf history and heritage.

2. Coordination of the various scarce resources available for this community. The Finance, Personell and Infrastructure need to be chaneled, phased and equally distributed to the key areas of need - Education, Employment and Environment.

3. Strengthening of KNAD or similar organizations eg KSLRP, KSLIA, and Regional branches of KNAD to better represent the Deaf from these regions.

4. Policy amendments - PWD Act 2003, Special Education Act/policy need to be amended to explicitly and implicitly talk about the Deaf issues - Language, Education, accessibility, healthcare - deaf VCT is a starting point we need the whole continum of care. Policy change is the begining, implementation strategy is very very critical.

5. Empowerment, Empowerment, empowerment - Deaf Kenyans need to be trained, mentored and see models that work. Shinning examples are right here with us - Liverpool VCT, DOOR International, DMI, Peace Corps/Kenya etc etc They are making a difference because they are educating the Deaf and giving them a chance to prove themselves.

I would like to challenge my fellow development workers and the directors and program managers to rethink the strategies that they are employing and to refocus their energies to the bigger issues

- Policy Change - Key to successful advocating.

- Education - Key to success

- Empowerment - Key to good governance

The resounding prophetic call is - NOTHING FOR US WITHOUT US!!! Those who hear and transform will be saved the hardliners will keep fueling the mask of benevolence and keep disempowering the Kenyan Deaf community - Enriching themselves pretending to make a difference with the little hand outs.

Join me in Halting the Mask of Benevolence and fight for the Empowerment of the Deaf Kenyans. The time for those advocating for change is NOW. Stand or be blown away.

Stop the mask! It is your enemy!

Jack Owiti,
Kenyan and Friend to the Deaf in Kenya.