I'd show films and have speakers on topics that interested me and my clientele: development politics, conflict, feminist issues, inequality, conservation, education...I'd collect books and pamphlets and encourage social networking on these matters. I'd hold events to raise money for causes close to my heart. As a student, I used to spend hours looking for the right cafe in London or Birmingham to revise/write essays in. It had to have the right feel to inspire me to actually work, none of this corporate soulless nonsense that our high streets are littered with today, the Costas and Pret a Mangers of this world, where the management clearly want their Primark-clad customers in and out as quickly as possible, so provide the worst possible ambience to sit and chill and chat. My cafe would encourage community, interesting conversation and electicism in its clientele.
That is why I think this initiative in Lebanon is so awesome: a cafe set up to promote the rights of women, and awareness of sexual discrimination and gender issues. The cafe is called Nasawiya, Arabic for feminist: who knew there was a word for 'feminist' in Arabic?! They discuss, campaign and act on the issues that concern them. Their lobbying arm have begun work on a law that criminalizes workplace sexual harrassment. They have set up an initiative whereby foreign domestic workers in Lebanon cook for visitors every Saturday night, making money and gaining respect and friendship from their friends in the collective. Their mission is to "challenge all forms of gender oppression in Lebanon and the Arab world". Amazing.
A few years ago, around the time of the last Kenyan election, my brother, mother and I were discussing, tongue in cheek, the possibility of starting a "political cafe" in our local village, Kimanjo. Kimanjo was then a village of one street of shops selling basic provisions, a primary school, a clinic with one nurse and a police station on top of the hill, rarely staffed, but our conversation was prompted by seeing how interested and knowledgable the population, particularly 18-35 year olds, were in the politics of the upcoming election. For my brother and I, coming from England, a country where 50% of people probably don't know that Cameron is Prime Minister and think Boris Johnson is just some guy on TV with bad hair, it was amazing to see the interest and constant discussion about who was the better candidate, who was less corrupt, who had better policies, who was going to stick to their campaigning platform after they were elected and not just run in the direction of nepotism and graft.
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| New Kimanjo health centre |
The idea for the 'political cafe' was clearly a pipe dream and not serious, but a few years later, Kimanjo now having a large health facility being built through Ol Lentille Trust's donors, a Secondary school in partnership with the goverment and local small businesses booming in the village centre, the Laikipia Wildlife Foundation have committed to helping us create a conservation library in the village. Since the development of Kimanjo area has come about in large part due to the community's ongoing commitment to conservation, and the benefits that can bring through business and development aid, it is an issue close to everyone's hearts here. Soon we will be ready for Starbucks...I hope not.
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| Ol Lentille Conservancy |
The thirst for knowledge in some parts of the world, Kimanjo included, Britain not so much (which is sad) is amazing and must be fed. People need to be given the chance to arm themselves with as much information as they need or want in order to pursue their dreams or campaign for an issue important to them, and we should provide the forums (online or physical) for ideas to be exchanged, discussed and used for a purpose. If only I was as entrepreneurial as the women in Lebanon...but entrepreneurial spirit is an innately Kenyan thing, so perhaps we have hope here...national/international campaigns started in Kimanjo?! Maybe!
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| Southwark Bridge, London, 2011 |
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