When asked to name the biggest, most urgent problem in the camp, two of our friends at Camp Vision said:
“We have no space, we need to develop our own space.â€�
John, the Chairman of the camp
“I want to have a place to call home, this is not ideal for my children.�
Mary Njeri, mother of six children in Camp Vision
Roofs
over our heads not only shield us from the elements-they provide places
to live that become our homes. It is said that, “home is where the
heart is.” We know this to be true because homes not only provide warmth
and shelter, but we also attach to them feelings of family, safety,
belonging, and comfort. Prior to the 2007 elections, our friends at Camp
Vision knew those things. They had a roof over their heads and had a
home, a place where they belonged and had to invite people into their
lives.
In Kenyan culture, community and togetherness is ingrained in who they
are as a people. Because they lack the space and the ability to
cultivate a new place they can call home, the people of Camp Vision have
lost some of this aspect of community.
Camp Vision’s Current State:
· 50 families share approximately 1 acre of land (see picture above)
· After the 2007 elections, they pooled their money together to purchase this land together that they share
· They have been living in tents that don’t provide much shelter from the wind and the rain
· There is land next to Camp Vision available for purchase that
costs 680,000 KSH for 5 acres, which is approximately $10,000
Project Goals for Land:
· Purchase about 5 acres of land
· This land will provide: each family’s plot, space to build a community center and place a water well or water tanks
· Each family will own their own plot of land with enough space for a farm and a house
· Families will pay off their land through employment and/or microcredit loans
Losing their former lives and homes has run so much deeper for our
friends than we realize. Our friends will not only one day have their
own space for a house and farm, but they will once again also have a
place that they can call home.
