Meru, Kenya is home to International Peace Initiatives (IPI) and the Kithoka Amani Children’s Home and a powerful community. It is home to a progressive children’s home, many successful mirco-business endeavors, effective table-banking, an eco-center featuring sustainable building strategies, a permaculture food-forest and has on the drawing boards an internationally recognized conference center. When the first LENSES workshops were started there in November 2016 following the Amala Global Youth Peace Summit, the focus was on how the people in such a vibrant environment could effectively steward and catalyze their dynamic and multi-faceted initiatives.
CLEAR Practitioner Jodi Lane worked together with IPI founder Karambu Ringera, her staff and dedicated members of the community to help them moving forward with their regenerative and progressive visions. Together they mapped their natural, political, social and economic ecosystems, inquired into what has vitality vs. what is degenerative and looked into their hearts and minds to discover what is truly important to them. After having done that they generated Stewardship, Nature as Model and Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are”, as Guiding Principles.
“I learned more about this place I work in and I have a more open mind” – IPI Staff Member
An initiative called “Kids Thrive” was born out of the workshop as a “practice” initiative after each participant saw that they had something unique they wanted to provide the kids that would expand their education in areas that they cared about most. Some of the Kids Thrive programs included; the culture and ideals of Kenya and other African nations, world politics, local politics, self-reflection and inner development, financial intelligence, environmental awareness, ethical leadership and spiritual well-being. Other large initiatives were discussed and documented such as; their goal to begin their own vocational training center; creating expanded conferencing facilities for IPI, hosting transformation and empowerment courses for youth; and expanding the reach of the eco-center as a Permaculture Design hub. An outreach campaign and strategic planning effort is also manifesting for exposure and funding of these initiatives.
To follow the regenerative development of this organization and the community it is nested within, please go to ipeacei.org
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