Wajir is a town in North Eastern Province, Kenya. It is headquarters of Wajir District. The latest census of Wajir reports a population of 32,207. Wajir is located in an arid area prone to drought. In spring 2006 there was a severe famine. Four new districts were created in August 2007. They are Wajir East, Wajir South, Wajir North and Wajir West. All have new headquarters and new district commissioners.
Education - Wajir county has ten secondary schools six of which are located at Wajir East district some of the schools include Wajir high school, Wajir girls high, Furaha high, Waberi mixed day secondary school. Wajir are people are generally ascribed by the local inhabitants to the Madanle, a semi-legendary people of high stature, who are associated with the Somali.
It is served by Wajir Airport with flights to Nairobi, Galcaio and Mogadishu.
BACKGROUD OF WAJIR PRIMARY SCHOOL:
Wajir primary school was started so as to have the pastoral community’s children go to school. Wajir is a dry area and children preferred to move with their cattle from one place to the other in search of pastures instead of going to school. With the recent drought, they no longer have their large herds of cattle and people even in their late teens are attending school as this is the only way they can get food as schools receive relief food from the government.
THEME:
PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION Remote and arid, Wajir County is largely barren. Somalis are divided into three major clans: Ogaden, Ajuran and Degodia and several smaller ones. They are nomadic pastoralists, shifting herds of camels, cattle, sheep and goats to wherever pasture and water can be found. Competing with each other for access to skimpy resources has made suspicions run deep. The mere blocking of access to an animal water pan, or a problem between market vendors, can have an effect akin to applying a match to dry leaves. Over the years, political interference by outsiders has added to the tension. Frequent droughts compounded the resource scarcity problem cited as root cause of chronic mistrust between clans and other groups. In recent years, that atmosphere of tension and mistrust has changed. It all began in the early nineties when a discussion by a small group of women attending a wedding - giving vent to concerns about violence - spontaneously gathered momentum and developed into a movement. The Wajir Peace Group formed then to encourage dialogue among the warring parties, has since evolved into the Wajir Peace and Development Committee, showing the value of encouraging community involvement, and the use of dialogue to resolve conflicts. Volunteers will work with Wajir Peace Group in addressing the issue of peace.
WORK:
Volunteers will work for six hours daily from Mondays to Fridays. Volunteers will be involved in awareness on peace building initiatives, workshops, digging of a well, fencing and teaching as well as go for home visits in the local community.
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will be accommodated in classrooms at the school with two separate rooms for male and female. This will be in a workcamp set up where there are no beds and they will sleep on the floor on their mats and sleeping bags to experience complexities of development challenges in rural Kenya. Volunteers with special needs like those who are physically challenged should alert KVDA on application so that efforts are made to accommodate them appropriately.
CAMP FEES:
Volunteers participating in this project will be required to pay Euros 300 for a package of three weeks and this will include Airport Pick Up and drop off after the work camp, one day full board accommodation during the orientation day, fares to the project and back, food, facilitation, certificate of participation and will cater for Administrative costs as well.
KISWAHILI TRAINING PROGRAM {optional} :Kiswahili training program is tailor-made to suit volunteers’ preference and open to individuals keen to have basic knowledge in Kiswahili that is widely spoken in East Africa and nowadays taught in prestigious Universities in the world. The 10-day program is organized in a serene atmosphere in order to quench for thirst among volunteers. Those willing to participate in the program should inform KVDA at least two weeks before arrival. Charges - Euros 200 all inclusive
EDUCATiONAL TOURS:
KVDA Organizes educational tours to spectacular sites of Interest and the fees charged is all inclusive of meals, accommodation and tour guiding. This will be held before or after the work camp and those who wish to participate should make the application at least two weeks before arrival to enable KVDA put its act together. 10% of the income from the Educational Tours is used to support community projects. Due to an increase in the park fees by Kenya Wild Life Service, the following are the charges with effect from 1st January 2011.
3 days tour to Masaai Mara National Park – 350 Euros 4th day tour to Lake Nakuru an extra 150 Euros Nairobi National park (One Day) - 150 Euros Bomas of Kenya - 100 Euros
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
