We all hear, read and learn about using the power of Social Media to increase our own business in our very privileged society. To find out that I am able to help someone who lives in another part of the world, and who is doing so much extraordinary work in a society that is struggling, is even more rewarding!
I am honored to share with all of you a letter that I received from Cornelius Ambiah, a volunteer mediator who works in the slums of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. He has been following my blogs through a LinkedIn group of which we are both members. He is deploying extraordinary efforts to help people in crisis. This is what he wrote to me:
Halo Jennifer,
I keep on reading your posts on family issues and divorce mediation. I have a small group that has been trained in transformative mediation and we are currently doing volunteer work in the slums in Nairobi through the local administration.
I want to appreciate you because we mostly use materials and your posts to discuss and share some of the challenges we encounter during the field work. This happens during our weekly meetings.
We plan to start a facebook page so as to be able to share some photos during the sessions and in due course prepare short video clips of the successful mediation cases from the willing parties and share with other mediators both locally and internationally.
The most common cases we deal with are:
- Gender-based violence
- Divorce
- Landlords/tenants disputes
- Children abandonment
- ETC
We are mainly working currently in three sites:
- Kibera slum, widely known world wide
- Kawangware slum
- Mathare slum
The only main challenge is that we are a team of youths and being that most of them have no any other formal employment becomes a bit difficult to offer voluntary services more often. Life engagement is given first priority, as a source daily bread.
If you like to know more about the group, will be more willing to share.
We are working under Friends World Committee for Consultation – Africa Section (FWCC-AS), a Quaker organization to realize our dreams of a just and coherent society.
In friendship,
Cornelius Ambiah
Team Leader
Transformative Mediation Group – Nairobi
Do you have any comments to share with Cornelius Ambiah? Please post them in the “leave a comment” box below so that he knows how much we all admire the work that he is doing to help his community. Thank you.
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If you have any questions or concerns about Mediation,
or would like to schedule a no fee mediation consultation ,
please don’t hesitate to contact me today!
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Jennifer Safian
divorce and family mediation
upper east side of manhattan (nyc)
new york, ny
(917) 881 5206
jpsafian@gmail.com
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Such a beautiful story that really highlights how empowering mediation can be, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
You and your group are doing important work, Cornelius. Helping people be heard and reach resolution is a great service.
wow this is very inspirational. how can i contact you to do some voluntary mediation while i am in Nairobi.???
Jambo Cornelius! Thank you indeed for sharing the good work you are doing to make society a better place. I am a Kenyan living in the diaspora and I know what working in the slums involves, as I worked there before relocating. I was dealing with addiction issues and so I was very close to what people experience from the inside.
It takes lots of determination to do what you are doing, and lots of courage to keep moving despite all odds. I am sure that the lives you touch will forever be grateful, and the difference you make in people’s lives will have lasting effects.
Thank you once more for sharing this, and keep up the good work.
Teresa Ngigi
Beautiful work Cornelius. light and salt – generating mutual respect and friends.
Wonderful post. Wonderful work you are both doing and such an illustration of the power of the Internet!
Cornelius, I have nothing but admiration for your work, The fact that you got it going under such difficult circumstances was even more impressive.
Thank you for your notes to Cornelius. I have been forwarding them to him and I am sure he is enjoying reading them!
Thanks friends for all your wonderful comments! It gives more inspiration to keep pressing on.