Welcome to Ben Ondoro's Blog

2011 Guelph BBQ - PICS

2011-08-02T18:44:00.000-04:00

On behalf of the Organizing Committee - Guelph & the Tri-Cities (Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge), I would like to take this opportunity to say a big "Thank You" to all those who who supported our Annual Guelph BBQ. It was in deed a pleasure to host a number of people from far and wide. May we all continue with the same spirit of togetherness even as we look forward to much bigger things in terms community building.

Thanks,
Ben Ondoro
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Guelph Annual African BBQ - July 30th, 2011

2011-08-02T17:14:00.000-04:00

Here is an article regarding the BBQ on the local Newspaper

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/news/kenyan-picnic-at-guelph-lake/

Cheers,
Ben Ondoro

Guelph Annual African BBQ - July 30th, 2011

2011-07-12T12:55:00.000-04:00

On behalf of the Organizing Committee - Guelph & the Tri-Cities (Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge), I would like to invite you all to our Annual African family BBQ at the Guelph Lake. Everyone is welcome, even our non-African friends of whom we have many, it would be nice to show them how we celebrate being together as a big family. Here is a link to some of the pictures from the last few BBQ events we held here in Guelph

http://benondoro.blogspot.com/2010/08/guelph-bbq-pics.html

Below is a simple list of some things you may want to bring for you and the family. You are welcome to add anything the list.

1) Food for the BBQ, and drinks for you and the family (please bring coolers to keep the drinks cold).

2) Lawn chairs for those of you who may want to sit privately, or close to the beach to watch the kids swimming.

3) Corn, Sweet potatoes, plantains for the fire, and anything else you want to roast and haven't since you left home (Africa).

4) Swimming costumes for those who want to swim. (Please be advised, there are no lifeguards, so you will have to keep an eye on your children as they play in or next to the water). The lake water is clean, cool and refreshing.

5) Games, soccer balls, fun stuff you want to share.  Remember, this is a family outing with old and new friends.

6) Guelph Lake Conservation Area has camping sites for those who may want to camp out there for the long weekend.  If you are interested in reserving a spot, call as soon as possible, because most camp sites may be booked soon.  Their phone # is (519) 824-5061.

7) Music that you may want to hear.  We will also have some "Open Mic." breaks whereby we encourage people to tell African jokes.  Remember, this is a family event, so please "PG" jokes only.  The microphone will only be used for Jokes and announcements, nothing else, period.

8) Festive spirits.  It is all about family so please come out ready to have a great time.

The BBQ will be on Saturday July 30th, 2011 starting at 1:00PM and will go on until around 9:30PM in the evening.

We have reserved the Island Pavilion, which is close to the water, so mention that when you get to the gates of the park (there is a nominal fee of $3.50 for adults and $1.50 for children for park maintenance that you pay at the gate) - Please make sure you tell them at the gate that you are attending the African Family BBQ booked by Ben Ondoro otherwise they will charge you an extra $1.50. We will also have a huge BBQ grill for everyone's use, plus some firewood for the roast of corn, potatoes or plantains.

Directions to Guelph Lake Conservation Area:

From Toronto - Highway 401:

Take exit 299, Brock Road (From the 401 exit to Guelph Lake is about 20minutes)
Stay on this road. The name of the road changes several times.
Pass Speedvale Avenue
Pass Woodlawn Road (there is a Walmart to your left & Canadian Tire to your right)
Keep going north side of Guelph (approximately 2 to 3 minutes), turn right onto Conservation Road
Follow Conservation Road to the entrance

From Kitchener:

Take Highway 7 into Guelph
Turn north/left onto Highway 6 (Woolwich Street)
Keep going north side of Guelph (approximately 2 to 3 minutes), turn right onto
Follow Conservation Road to the entrance

From Cambridge:

Take Highway 24 to Guelph
Take the Hanlon Expressway/Highway 6 North
Follow to the end and turn right onto Highway 6/Woodlawn Road
Turn left onto Highway 6/Woolwich Street
Keep going north side of Guelph (approximately 2 to 3 minutes), turn right onto
Follow Conservation Road to the entrance

You can also visit map quest (http://www.mapquest.ca) to get directions to Guelph and the park.

Ben Ondoro

On Behalf of the Organizing Committee

*********************************

Ben Ondoro' s engagement with Guelph politicians

2011-03-07T20:26:00.000-05:00

Part of the Ben Ondoro's family meeting with the local Member of Parliament as well as the MPP for Guelph.

Ben Ondoro’s Speech at CMETrust Fundraiser – March 3rd, 2011

2011-03-07T20:01:00.000-05:00

Good evening ladies & gentlemen…….and thank you “Host” for giving me an opportunity to say a few words! I will be very brief tonight.

I grew up in a country, like many other African countries where due to poverty there were cases whereby some parents in those days chose to have their sons look after livestock during the day and girls help their mothers take care of housework. Imagine how difficult it must have been for these children during that time. It may still be happening but not as much. Of course things have changed now and many governments are trying to enforce the law requiring children to attain at least basic education.

The literacy rate in Kenya is rumored to have now fallen below 80% even though an earlier statistic showed it was at 85%. The drop in percentage rate is basically due to the fact the birth rate has gone up; as a matter of fact, the population of Kenya as of today is approximately 39,982,595 compared to a population of 35,900,000 in 2006 and a population of 39,002,772 on February 9th 2010.) The population of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, which is home to students CMTrust support, is approximately 3,010,055 with the Mathare slum housing approximately 800,000 people today up from about 600,000 in the year 2006. To give you some sort of an idea what these population statistics mean, let me do a comparison; Canada’s population is 34million people and size 9M square km. Kenya’s size is only 580,000 square km but with a population of 39million. With the increase in population, comes a number of challenges not only to the government in terms of service delivery but also challenges to NGO's such as the one we are running from here helping the needy children of Kenya.

Some of you who are following events in Kenya may ask about the program of “Free Education” that the government initiated for Primary Schools in 2003 and for Secondary Schools in 2008. Well, as much as basic education is free in Kenya, it was implemented subject to some restrictions which essentially locked out children from very poor families as parents must still pay for miscellaneous items like school uniforms, clothes, shoes, sometimes contribute to building funds, text books, daily upkeep and so forth and truly speaking, less fortunate children including orphans can not afford it. Also, because majority of poor children are unlikely to score top marks to allow them admission to the few available government secondary schools, they usually end up going to private secondary schools requiring them to still pay school fees.

I believe many of us here are familiar with the say that it “It takes a village to raise a child”, what I see happening more and more is that “it now takes a global village to educate a child”. It is therefore on this foundation that we all share the vision the founding members of CMETrust under the leadership of Victoria Sheppard had. That vision MUST be kept alive and so my fellow good people, I humbly ask you not give up but rather continue with the good work of support through this amazing organization (CMETrust).

It has been five years and CMETrust is still going strong so that must be a testimony that this organization is doing a good job and therefore need our continued support. I am one of those lucky people who has been part of it right from the early days of its inception and have been right on the ground in the middle of Mathare talking to the recipients of this scholarship fund with a message of hope to these children – It makes a big difference in their lives and it is such an amazing experience that gives one self satisfaction.

Volunteering:

For those who may be wondering how they can be involved, I think CMETrust is giving us all that opportunity to show our love and be part of a process that care for the less fortunate children. In the spirit of fulfilling the theme of CMTrust “Advancing Education in Kenya, One Child at a Time”, I think we can all join hands, each one of us doing a little something to magnify that calling.

I would like end by saying that I know that the best tool anyone can give a child to allow him or she to succeed in life is education and as Christine Gregoire said – “Education can lift individuals out of poverty and into rewarding careers”. Enjoy the rest of the evening and cheers to CMETrust on its 5^th, anniversary!

Canada-Mathare Education Trust Fundraiser

2011-03-02T20:26:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

This is a reminder to the upcoming 5th, annual Canada-Mathare Education Trust Fundraiser. We are really excited and hope that you will be able to join us to celebrate CMETrust's 5th Anniversary at our Hearts for Smarts Fundraiser on Thursday March 3rd, 2011. Please find attached the poster for the event. If you are able to share it far and wide that would be fabulous. The event gets underway at 7:30 pm, we draw our raffle prizes just before 10:00PM and close our popular silent auction shortly after.

Where: Peridot Resto Lounge - 81 Bloor Street East, Toronto.
When: March 3rd, 2011 @7:30PM - Midnight
Tickets: $30 in advance or "PAY WHAT YOU CAN AT THE DOOR" - (Performances by Tanika Charles and DJ L'Oqenz)

Event and ticket information can also be found at http://cmetrust.org/. For online ticket purchases you can also direct people to http://heartsforsmarts.eventbrite.com/ or they can "pay what they can" at the door.

Cheers,
Ben Ondoro Sr.
Phone: +1 519 239-4510

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NYOTA Fundraiser Update!

2010-11-22T19:14:00.003-05:00

November 22nd, 2010

We had a wonderful time over the weekend raising money for our orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya. Many of you supported this cause so I just wanted to give you a quick update on how the November 20th, 2010 fundraiser went and Linda's message below says it all.

We raised a total of $25,000 for the three and a half hours that we gathered at the Best Western hotel here in Guelph. Both the silent and live Auctions went very well. I have included some photos here as well. Thank you all and let us continue to support these noble causes!

Cheers,
Ben Ondoro

******************************

Hi Everyone – I am overwhelmed at the support you all provided to make this a HUGELY successful event to raise funds for Nyota. It takes a very big heart to give so generously of your time and talent. I only wish you could hear the words of thanks directly from the children. Because of your efforts the feedback on the evening has been fantastic. People loved the food – so much variety and taste and the plates were always full. The music was also fantastic, which together with all the people (I am sure over 200), food, wine, beer and beautiful and colorful art made for a festive and party atmosphere.

We raised $25,000 – beating last year in what is a pretty tough economy. This will largely allow us to finish the home for the kids that is under construction and they should be able to move in by January 2010. The new home will allow us to expand our numbers from 37 to eventually provide care and education for up to 100 children.

Because of your efforts, we are able to help provide them with a bright and cheery new home that will give them the security and care they need to go to school and achieve their dreams.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you. If you are not on my list and want to receive updates on Nyota just let me know and I will add you to my email distribution list. Also please send this message to anyone who helped out whom I may have missed. It takes a real team to pull off an event like this – you are an inspiration to me!!

Thanks on behalf of the 37 children at Nyota, the staff and the children yet to come,

Linda.

Guelph BBQ Pics

2010-08-04T19:23:00.001-04:00

EULOGY FOR CHARITY MBUI

2010-04-17T23:13:00.000-04:00

Sunday, April 17th, 2010:

By Ben Ondoro:

EULOGY FOR CHARITY MBUI

Good Morning, I will be very brief this morning even though we all know that there is so much good things one can say about Charity Mbui but the program doesn’t allow for that at this time. I am encouraged by your coming here this morning and may God reward you all and bless you for standing by the family of our late sister.

Charity Mbui, Charity, who was she one may ask? If you didn’t know Charity then you can tell who she was just by looking around and seeing for yourself those who have come here to bid her farewell. That’s who Charity was! She was a mother, a sister and a friend to many of us within the KCO family and we will forever be grateful for that. Last night at the funeral home, I talked about an experience of losing a mother; this morning I want to say once again that one of the biggest losses we can have is that of losing a mother because there is always something very special and different about mothers. I have lost a mother so it easier for me to put that into perspective even though losing any family member is equally painful.

Ladies & gentlemen, we are all gathered here this morning in unity with a common purpose to support the family and also to pay our last respect to our friend Charity. And to Ken, Mike and Tony, I want to assure you that our prayers as a community will always be with you. So this morning I appeal to my fellow Kenyans, pastors, believers, to please let us continue to pray with the family and offer our support wherever needed just as we have done the last two weeks. I am so proud of you as a community and also thankful that this family has been more than willing to allow us as a community work with them in arranging for a dignified send-off for one of our own, a member in good standing of the Kenyan Community in Ontario, my friend Charity.

I am fortunate to have known Charity on a personal level over the years especially while I served as the President of the Kenyan Community in Ontario and still I can’t get into terms with the fact that our beloveth sister has gone to live with the Lord. It is sad but at the same time our hearts are filled with joy because the Lord that giveth, He also taketh so He has taken Charity from our midst to be with Him at a place that he had already prepared for her. Knowing that a lone gives me comfort and I pray that it will give the family comfort as well. Though our hearts are filled with much sadness on this day, our message is not one of despair, but one of hope, love, and celebration. That is the reason today we are celebrating Charity’s life and our hearts should not be troubled. Charity, as far as I know had lived an amazing life even though it may have been rather short at only 55 years of age. Her spiritual life was larger than life itself and some of us who were closer to her learnt so much from her.

Having said that, what else do we remember when we think of Charity? I think everyone who knows her very well would agree with me that her commitment to KCO stands out to us community members BUT above all, her sense of humour and a big smile. She was that kind of a person that would make everyone laugh so hard some of them would end up crying; that is how Charity touched the hearts of many people within our community. Even though Charity has left us, I believe her spirit will be felt within our community for years to come. She stood tall in her commitment to the KCO membership and was involved! She also took part in many activities in other communities and that seemed to have been her passion.

So at this moment as we bid farewell to our friend, let’s all think back and remember how Charity touched our lives. How she made us laugh and how good Charity was as a person. This is the moment for us to be thankful that we were given the chance to have known a special mother, sister and a friend, named Charity. She will always be remembered and she will continue to live on in all of our memories.

I would like to end by reading the following poem:

Life is but a stopping place,

A pause in what's to be,

A resting place along the road,

to sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,

Different paths along the way,

We all were meant to learn some things,

but never meant to stay...

Our destination is a place,

Far greater than we know.

For some the journey's quicker,

For some the journey's slow.

And when the journey finally ends,

We’ll claim a great reward

And find an everlasting peace together with the Lord

May Charity’s soul rest in peace and may we all be blessed!

AMEN.

KCO SPECIAL MEETING OF MEMBERS - Volunteerism

2010-02-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

It is interesting that Basil & Jared are talking about volunteerism which is in fact one the reasons we (being KCO members) have disagreed especially with regards to 2009 KCO elections as article 9.02 of the constitution was quoted several times. As you may be aware, the profile of KCO has been built based on volunteerism with many opportunities available not only by one becoming the President of KCO but also through the board and various standing committees within the organization. Volunteerism is the glue that has held KCO together over the years and the energy that has brought us this far.

When Dr. Mayenga states that it is not fair for anyone within KCO to put a dollar value to volunteerism, only those who have been there, done that will actually understand what he is talking about otherwise his message may as well go to the birds. We talk and talk about volunteering yet not many of us walk the talk only to turn around and trivialize sacrifices the likes of Mayenga have made to see this organization stand tall. My thinking is that members of our community should stop talking and instead be engaged in community volunteerism to help build our organizations. This is not limited to just KCO, there are other Kenyan organizations including churches with our own Kenyan Pastors as leaders who are desperately in need of volunteers!

For those who might still be interested in knowing how much it would be if we were to look at the dollar value of volunteerism, the link below gives a skeleton overview of the dollar value of volunteer time for 2008 being estimated to be $20.25 per hour. Let’s say we were to put dollar value to Mayenga’s volunteer time ONLY during the time he was the President of KCO; taking into consideration a minimum of 3 hours of volunteer time a day times an average of 30 days in a month ($20.25*3*30) = $1,822.50 per month by 24 months that he was President then that would be $43,740.00.00

http://www.independentsector.org/programs/research/volunteer_time.html

These are my two cents contribution adding to what the two distinguished members of this community have already said. No “rungus” please as I mean well and not targeting anyone in a negative way but just throwing my thoughts out there!

Regards,

Ben Ondoro.

Personal opinion and observation on KCO

2010-02-11T16:33:00.000-05:00

***** This posting reflects Ben Ondoro’s personal opinion and observation *******

January 29^th, 2010:

There seem to be some confusion regarding the upcoming meeting slated for March 14^th, 2010, with some people referring to it as a “general meeting”, others an “Annual General Meeting (AGM)” and those who have thoroughly looked at the constitution calling it a “special meeting of members”. The secretary on behalf of the current KCO Executive Board under the leadership of President Muoi Nene sent out a notice calling for a “special meeting of members”.

So, really, what kind of meeting is it? I am not speaking for anyone here but having looked at the current constitution, there are provisions for only five kinds of meetings:

(a). First & Regular meeting of the KCO Board of Directors

(b). The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M)

(c). General Meeting - (GM) as some people have called it

(d). Special Meeting

(e). Standing & Ad hoc committees’ regular meeting

Answer: Since the notice that was sent out to the general membership calls for a “special meeting of members”, it would be in everyone’s best interest to refer to it as such to make this meeting legal. I just thought it is best to get this clarified well in advance so that members get the right message. It is not in my position to clarify this but I am throwing this out there as a “food for thought”.

Some Points of Interest - Frequently Asked Questions!

1. Question: Can the March 14^th 2010 meeting called by the secretary be an A.G.M or a General Meeting as some people have called it?

a. Answer: NO to this being an A.G.M as section 7.01 of the constitution states that such meetings shall be held each year between 1^st day of December of that year and 15^th day of January of the following year. The last A.G.M was held on December 12^th, 2009.

b. Answer: NO to this being a General Meeting as section 7.04 of the constitution calls for this kind of meeting to be quarterly and only decided upon by the Executive Board.

Note: Regular voting members of KCO can ONLY request for one kind of meeting to take place at anytime and that is the “special meeting of members”. Changing to something else would be illegal and unconstitutional leaving room for a challenge in the court of law.

2. Question: Who will chair the special meeting of members on March 14^th, 2010?

a. Answer: Section 7.07 of the constitution states that the President or in his/her absence a Vice President shall be the chairperson of the meetings of members, so President Muoi Nene or in his absence Madam Irene Masinde will be the chairperson of the said meeting. If both of them are unavailable within (30) minutes from the time fixed for holding the meeting then one of the other Board members going in hierarchical order.

3. Question: Can the 2009 KCO election of the Executive Board of Directors be nullified at this point or during the March 14^th, 2010 special meeting?

a. Answer: NO. This would be a breach of the current constitution as there is no provision for the nullification of the elections especially after the 21 days following any election and after the electoral body has been disbanded.

Note: The current constitution gives the independent electoral body the power to have a final say on the results of the KCO elections.

4. Question: Considering the teething issue that now has culminated to a call for a special meeting, could the previous Executive Board have stayed in office without handing over until after the special meeting?

a. Answer: NO. This would have been illegal and unconstitutional as the KCO electoral body had successfully concluded their job and presented their final report declaring Muoi Nene and his team dully elected into office.

Note: After the declaration and confirmation of the new office bearers by the KCO electoral commissioners, the previous KCO Board did not have a choice but to honorably hand over the day to day running of the organization to the newly elected officials.

5. Question: Assuming that we are all going by the current constitution, what is it that I can do as a KCO member in good standing if my feeling is that I DO NOT RECOGNIZE the current KCO leadership and want all of them or just some of them out?

a. Answer: Playing the devil’s advocate, I would invoke section 9.06 of the constitution which refers to the “removal of director” – this is the same as impeaching the said Board of Director. If I want all of them out then this will have to be done one by one until all of them are removed from office. The catch is, I am required by law to be able to produce evidence and convince members to pass the resolution by a two third majority vote cast.

Note: In the spirit of keeping KCO alive while still trying our best to unite the general membership, if this section of the constitution is applied with bad intention then it may cause a long term division within the organization.

6. Question: What is your take on the current constitution of KCO?

a. Answer: I have looked at the constitution of a few other community organizations of the same size as KCO and truly speaking, some of them have the worst with Presidents who have been serving these communities for well over 6 years in the same position. Of course there are many other organizations that have up to date constitutions serving their members well. We have matured and grown as an organization with our needs changing more rapidly, so the constitution needs to be looked at more carefully to better serve the interest of the general membership. There is also another good document called “The KCO Strategic Plan” that came out of an initiative originally championed by Dr. Charles Mayenga; my thinking is that there are key elements here that can eventually be entrenched into the constitution, that is if the general membership unanimously endorses the idea of reviewing the current constitution.

Note: Constitution making is not a one day process, so my thinking is that a good mechanism agreeable to the majority if not all stakeholders involved MUST be in place to allow for a conducive atmosphere that will allow us to come up with a better document that serves the interest of members of KCO. There may be a need for wide consultations with members as well as external constitution experts and also a possibility of organizing a few focus group meetings so members can brainstorm on some elements they may want included in the constitution.

7. Question: Regarding posting on the public domains (cyber) including kco-l yahoo group, can I be sued for the content of the messages I post as an individual?

a. YES, individuals have been sued before when they write carelessly on the web unnecessarily defaming others and most of the time these people writing were not even aware that the content of what they were writing met the definition of things such as slander, libel and defamation. I urge everyone to familiarize themselves with the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms.

Note: Let us use a real example so we are clear of the consequences, and I will use myself as an example and outline just a few factual things about me:

(a) Ben Ondoro is a family man so what happens if someone was to defame him?

(b) Ben Ondoro is an employee of the Ontario Provincial government in a senior position as a Systems Management Analyst where his reputation and character is an important factor. What does it mean to his job if you were to maliciously defame him and this made its way to his place of work? Please note some of the following points pertaining to the kind of work he does!

1. He is entrusted with key government electronic information that he must safe-guard considering that he is fully in charge of running the government computer systems.

2. He leads specific government projects on the Infrastructure side and continually a key member in various teams implementing the provincial government projects so he is expected to be a team player.

3. He is a key system support person who must interact with a number of colleagues at work a cross the province.

4. He is actively involved in fundraising activities at work on behalf of charities such as United Way, Federated Health and he has received recognitions for his dedication to these charities.

5. Ben Ondoro served on a disaster mission on behalf of the Ontario Provincial government in the United States during the hurricanes Katrina and Rita under FEMA and the American Red Cross. He received recognition from the Ontario government for his dedication and work in New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Bay Town and St. Agnes during the trying moment for our sisters/ brothers in the unfortunate situation.

(c) Besides family & work, Ben Ondoro is very much involved in many community work and other volunteer activities. What does it mean to the public who supports his efforts should his reputation and character be in question?

1. He has been involved with KCO since its inception and volunteer many hours serving its members

2. He is involved with a number of Canadian charitable organizations raising money for projects in Kenya

3. He has a school project in Mathare, Kenya with approximately 350 students with the support from his fundraising efforts here in Canada.

4. He has a Village Water project near Kisumu, Kenya with support from his fundraising efforts here in Canada.

(d) Myself, Me & I – This refers to Ben Ondoro’s personal well-being and freedom as a person. If defamed, what would be the level of his pain and suffering?

So, say hypothetically that there were grounds for Ben Ondoro to sue an individual for a posting on kco-l or anywhere else on the worldwide web for defamation, all the above mentioned points a – d will have to be taken into consideration unless or otherwise the honorable judge rules against it. Depending on how long the list is, one might have to part with a big chunk of cash for legal fees and eventually settlement. Next time anyone is posting information touching on any individual on the worldwide web, think twice especially if what you are trying to say or rather saying does not have any facts that can be proven in the court of law.

The law allows for freedom of speech/expression, so as long as what you are saying is factual and the intention is not to maliciously destroy the character of another person then you can talk and write all you want. These are facts meant to educate those who might not have given it much thought as they write emails going to the public domains.

Thank you all for reading this long document prepared by Ben Ondoro as an expression of opinion and thoughts as I continue to focus on my semi retirement.

Sincerely

Ben Ondoro – Life member & Immediate Past President of KCO

Welcome to Ben Ondoro's Blog:

2008-06-09T22:47:00.001-04:00

2008 KCO Madaraka Day Event

2008-06-08T21:46:00.004-04:00

2008 KCO Women's Forum Scholarship fundraiser - Photos

2008-05-12T12:04:00.009-04:00

Ben Ondoro's message at 2008 KCO Women's forum scholarship fundraiser - May 10th, 2008

2008-05-12T12:00:00.001-04:00

Dear KCO Members & Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you all for a tremendous support you have give the KCO Board over the years. Without your support, we would not have made it this far. Despite the fact that there has been many challenges during our term in office, together, we have continued to make KCO a home that many Kenyans especially those who are new in Canada identifies with.

Our efforts to market KCO and make it a household name in Canada has paid off and I can authoritatively say that the name KCO is now known not only in Canada but in North America with many Kenyan organizations trying to learn from us. We have become a Kenyan Model organization ready to unite all Kenyans living in Canada.

Two years ago, KCO women’s forum under the able leadership of Mrs. Irene Wandili at the time took off in high gear when the committee was re-launched and they have so far started a scholarship fund for our “Youth”; an initiative that was fully supported by the KCO Board. Mrs. Grace Mwawasi has taken over as the Chair of this vibrant wing within KCO with a determination to do even greater things thus the reason for our gathering here at the Four Points Sheraton today May 10^th, 2008. Our tribute goes to pioneers of the KCO women’s forum that came into being right during the same time of the inception of KCO; the pillars of that vision were Grace Mwawasi, Beatrice Ghettuba and Jayne Rop-Weller among others.

Education is the most important tool you can give a child; those of us who are gathered here tonight have taken that step of faith to provide that tool by contributing to the pot that has been created for our “Youth” by KCO women’s forum to allow us to advance education for our children through this scholarship fund initiative. I am appealing to the general membership and our friends to please pay close attention to this fund and help in any way you can in the spirit of “Harambee” so the pot can grow beyond measures.

In conclusion, I hope that KCO will make it a tradition of providing financial assistance to those students who may be in need as part of our commitment to fostering education and innovation especially amongst our youth.

KCO Delegation to Ottawa - Deliberations

2008-03-15T14:34:00.003-04:00

^{Kenyan Community in Ontario}

To: Hon. Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON, Canada
K1A 0G2

From: Kenyan community in ontario (KCO)
1992 Yonge street, suite # 203
Toronto, Ontario

Subject: Kenya political situation

Date: March 11th, 2008

_____________________________________________________________________

Introduction:

Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO) is an Ontario-based not for profit, non-political and non-denominational Organization committed to promoting community development, settlement and adjustment programs as well as preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Kenyan community in Canada. KCO also works in partnership with other Canadian Organizations, and Canadian friends of Kenya in promoting international development projects in Kenya and charitable grassroots community development projects in Ontario and in Canada. KCO supports its work through the financial, material and voluntary contributions of its members and the Canadian public, and counts on the moral support of Canadian society to achieve the local community and international development goals.

Background and Purpose of the meeting:

We are here as a delegation representing the larger Kenyan Community living in Canada with a goal to discuss the current political situation in Kenya. As you are aware, violence broke out in Kenya following the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) of the presidential elections result at the end of December 2007. There was evidence of electoral malpractices, and when ECK declared the incumbent, Mr. Mwai Kibaki of PNU party the winner, Mr. Raila Odinga of ODM party disputed the results and violence erupted in most parts of the country. The violence claimed over 1,000 lives and more than 350,000 persons were displaced. In addition, property of unknown value, including businesses, was also destroyed.

Through the mediation efforts led by Dr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of The United Nations as well as intense international pressure, including specific actions taken by Canada, the two parties recently signed a power sharing agreement that calls for the formation of a Grand Coalition. Formation of the coalition is expected to result in peace both now and in the long term through facilitation of constitutional and administrative reforms. Implementation of the agreement calls for passing of legislative changes and constitutional amendments, which the new Parliament will be embarking on. From the manner in which the negotiations were conducted, and the recent pronouncements of senior government officials, it is clear that there are some people opposed to deal who would be glad to see it fail.

Although calm has generally returned, most of the displaced persons have not returned to their former homes to date. A tense atmosphere still prevails in the country as it not clear whether the two parties will follow through on the agreement both in letter and spirit.

When violence started, KCO came out and condemned the violence in the strongest terms possible as noted in our press release dated January 01, 2008. In that press release, we had also indicated that we would be seeking dialogue with the Canadian Minister for Foreign Affairs to explore how KCO can complement what the Canadian Government is already doing towards finding a solution to the situation in Kenya. That remains one of the reasons for our visit today

On behalf of the Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO) we also wish to thank you for agreeing to meet with us and listen to what we have to say. We want to start by saying a big “Thank You” to the Canadian government for standing by the people of Kenya during the time of need. The Canadian government did a wonderful job defending democracy in that part of the continent at a time when Kenya was in a crisis.

There is a feeling that we must endeavour to bring the entire international community especially the Canadian government to the side of the consistent democratic forces even as we further look into ways of ensuring that democracy prevails in Kenya.

Areas of Immediate attention:

We have identified key areas requiring immediate attention as Kenya goes through that process of being rebuilt.

Ø Resettlement of the displaced persons

o Small Businesses (Jua Kali)

o Housing

o Schools

Ø Rebuilding

o Cities & Towns that were affected by the crisis

Resources within the Kenyan Community here in Canada:

We wish to encourage the Canadian government to consider tapping into the resources within the Kenyan Community in Canada on issues pertaining to the current political situation in Kenya.

Ø Professionals

Ø Volunteers

Ø KCO

While KCO is aware of the fact that it will be crucial to work on structured strategies with the Canadian Embassy officials in Kenya as well as international NGOs working in Kenya that are based here in Canada, it will also be crucial to work with all the stakeholders in Kenya. Our role may merely be that of providing ideas, mobilizing resources in Canada and Kenya and providing backstopping/back up and more crucially to seek funding for strengthening those on the ground assistance teams like the Red Cross/Red Crescent.

Building Kenya through Civic Engagement:

Kenyans believes that Civic engagement matters because it is a promising method to build a civic nation. With respect to Kenyan’s individuals, we as Canadians of Kenyan origin believe that civic engagement can bring:

a) Belonging: The engagement that we believe Canada can help this Grand coalition to establish is make them understand its citizens and other people’s recognition that they belong to a Kenya society that needs them and wants their full contributions. This will enhance the sense of belonging is essential to individual wellness and social cohesion, and can be fostered through engagement because this is an opportunity for Kenya and Kenyans.

b) Empowerment: We urge Canadian government to engage this grand coalition fully to empower its citizens so that individuals are able to participate in the decisions that affect their lives, and such participation will make the actual difference and change they have been asking for years. This sense of empowerment will be gained through positive experiences with any kind of decision-making process where participants play an active role, are listened to by others, and listen to other.

c) Enrichment: We also urge Canadian Government to seize this opportunity to engage fully and openly this newly marriage of partnership between PNU and ODM parties to engage each other which likely will expose them to diverse ideas and opinions. The process of engagement will compel them to consider new viewpoints that may accept, reflect on, or dispute-but in all cases it create a dialogue between President Kibaki and The designated Prime minister to be Hon. Raila

With respect to Kenya’s unique tribal communities, we believe if Canadian government can politically step in then the Civic engagement will bring the following.

i) Democracy

This is should be real and in its purest form of involvement of all people in discussions and decision-making about public as Kenyan issues. We are calling of the Canadian Government to increase its political power support to the newly found citizen Grand coalition engagement as a call for all Kenya political parties and politicians to ensure a responsive and accountable government and to have a citizen meaningful voice on how their country should be run.

ii) Unity

At this time most Kenyans don’t believe they belong together because of ethnic and tribal political divisions whose unity is at risk and this has been there for the last 45yrs. Civic engagement will promote the growth of networks that cut across artificial boundaries and that create a Kenya founded on common core civic beliefs (Peace, Love and Unity). Kenyans needs Canadian government because of its widespread creative institutions and democratic networks to help this grand coalition to govern Kenya in a just and fair way, bring the citizen to the active citizenry and working together. Kenyans through Canada need a critical evolution of fundamental ideas of people who care, are networked, and who can work across the geographical, cultural, and boundaries that have traditionally kept them together and who are at risk of losing the big dreams of a Kenyan of one citizen and Hakuna Matata Meaning no problem in Kenya.

iii) Inclusiveness

Kenyans need Canada to help them build inclusive society that will welcome them to be able to contribute their thoughts and ideas without fear, threats and other political punishment. Many feel alienated because they believe the old established institutions especially the judicial and Human rights do not know or how to represent them justly. Canadian government needs to come in and help to engage this grand coalition to build a society that would actively attempt to involve them in decision-making process.

Closing:

We thank you again for agreeing to meet with us and listen to what we had to say. We trust that the Canadian government will consider these issues and proposals and work together with our organization (KCO) in ensuring the return to democracy in Kenya and maintaining of peace and justice for all its citizens.

Sincerely,
Ben Ondoro – President, Kenyan Community in Ontario

KCO Delegation to Ottawa - Agenda

2008-03-15T14:25:00.001-04:00

MEETING REGARDING THE KENYA POLITICAL SITUATION

When: Tuesday March 11th, 2008, 3:00 pm

Venue: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Address: 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa

Time Agenda Item

3:00 pm Introductions

· “KCO Delegation Team” - Ben Ondoro

3:15 pm Background & Purpose of the Meeting

· “Kenya Political Situation” – Ben Ondoro

3:20 pm Resources within the Kenyan Community in Canada

- (Dr. Timothy Oketch)

· Professionals

· Volunteers

· KCO

3:30pm Building Kenya through Civic Engagement - Maurice Khaguli

· Civic Engagement Matters

· Respect for Unique Kenyan tribal communities

3:40 pm Open Discussion on Way Forward -

· Discussions and Suggestions

· Working relationship with KCO

4:00 pm Closing Remarks

Ben Ondoro to lead a delegation from the Kenyan Community in Ontario for a meeting with the office of the Canadian Minister for Foreign Affairs.

2008-02-01T14:26:00.000-05:00

Ottawa, Canada!

February 2nd, 2008

As per our previous communication with regards to the Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO) engaging the Canadian government to be at the forefront in terms of addressing the current crisis in Kenya, I have been in touch with the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs as well as the Office of Hon. Dr. Keith Martin, Liberal M.P; Opposition Critic for International Development.

KCO has already been given a spot for a meeting with the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and we are also putting together a document outlining what we intend to achieve during this meeting; our previously released "Press Statement" on January 1st, 2008 (attached .pdf) covers some points we intend to present.

I have also secured another face -to-face meeting with Dr. Keith Martin to talk about the same issue. I think we are all working towards the same goal and this is good for our people in Kenya. Dr. Keith Martin had a question in parliament yesterday touching on the Kenya Crisis and he has issued another statement in parliament this morning. I am being updated on these developments regularly.

Below, is the text of Dr. Martin's question as well as Minister Bernier's response .

14:16 (55)

ORAL QUESTIONS

ORAL QUESTIONS

[Oral Questions]

Hon. Keith Martin ( Esquimalt —Juan de Fuca, Lib.)

Hon. Keith Martin (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Kenya is in meltdown and 850 people have died, including opposition member Mugabe Were. The violence is escalating.

Canada can play a critical role to enable peace and security to return to the country.

Will the Prime Minister support an African Union stabilization force to be deployed to Kenya and will he also ask Elections Canada and offer Elections Canada services to run a free, open and transparent general election in Kenya ?

Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC)

Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the situation in Kenya . That is why yesterday my colleague announced in the House a contribution of $3.3 million to help the Kenyans.

However, the most important thing is that we are there to help the Kenyans. We want to have a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Thanks,

Ben Ondoro - President, Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO)

Phone: (519) 239-4510 (Blackberry) or (519) 826-3789 (Office) or (647) 889-7757 (KCO)

Email: ben.ondoro@yahoo.com or ben.ondoro@ontario.ca

Ben Ondoro’s Speech at the Canada Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust) Fundraiser

2008-02-01T13:02:00.001-05:00

Oasis Spa
66-55 Mill Street
Toronto, Canada.

January 30th, 2008.

http://www.cmetrust.org/

Education is the most important tool you can give a child; those of us who are gathered here tonight have taken that step of faith to provide that tool through CMETrust which is advancing education in Kenya one child at a time. Allow me to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to Victoria Sheppard and her entire Board of Trustees at the Canada-Mathare Education Trust for organizing this fabulous fundraising event in this great city of Toronto, Canada. Last year, December of 2007, I had an opportunity to visit the schools in Mathare where most of the recipients of CMETrust fund graduated from and therefore saw first-hand where funds collected from fundraising initiatives such as this one tonight are channeled to. I also had an opportunity to give a motivational speech to these kids who needed much of our emotional support to allow them to succeed in life. From what I gathered at the workshop with regards to how the kids sponsored by CMETrust are performing at various schools in Kenya, some of the report cards indicated that they are doing very good.

As is always the case, I want to “Thank You” all for your dedication and trust in CMETrust as it carries out its activities in that part of the continent of Africa. As a Kenyan, I am so grateful for your generousity and please do not give up on these poor children from Mathare. With everyone’s help, I am hoping that CMETrust will grow to a point whereby it can expand it’s activities to other parts of Kenya.

Kenya is going through a trying moment at this particular time with violence claiming many precious lives every day since the disputed Presidential elections in December of last year and many children who are supposed to be in school this semester are staying at home but as a God fearing nation, we have faith that things will get better!

Lastly, I would like to now introduce to you Adam Solomon & Tikisa Band. If you don’t know who he is:

Adam “The Professor” Solomon was born in Kenya and began performing at an early age. He was the co-founder of Canada’s great pan-African band,the Afronubians.

After forming his own band Tikisa, he released the award-winning Safari and Rocket Express II: African Renaissance Blues. Collaborating with the musicians of African Guitar Summit, he won a 2005 Juno Award and performed at the Live 8 concert. African Guitar Summit’s second CD nominated for Best World Music Album 2006.

With Tikisa, he launched his latest CD, Mti wa Maisha (Tree of Life), at Lula Lounge in the spring of 2006.

Tikisa delivers a fresh, eminently listenable sound…an intoxicating blend of Afro-Rumba, Fiesta, and contemporary Kenyan rhythms that will lift your soul and make your feet move

Please let us put our hands together for the “Professor” of music Adam Solomon!

Thank you very much and enjoy the rest of the night.
*****************************************

Emergency Fundraiser – Kenya Crisis Appeal

2008-01-26T00:37:00.000-05:00

Re: Emergency Fundraiser – Kenya Crisis Appeal

As we already know, the on-going violence across Kenya in recent days has left thousands of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and it is reported that over 100,000 people have been affected or displaced, over 450 killed and over 1,000 injured.

In response to this humanitarian emergency, the Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO) is planning a fund raising event in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross so that all the funds raised can be immediately transferred to the Kenyan Red Cross Team assisting on the ground.

It is therefore my pleasure to invite you on behalf of the Kenyan Community in Ontario to come out in support of this emergency fund raising initiative scheduled for Sunday January 20^th, 2008. Please circulate to as many people as possible including communities you may be in contact with.

Details for the Event:

Ø Venue: North York Civic Centre – “Council Chambers”

Ø Address: 5100 Yonge Street, Toronto ON.
(On the west side of Yonge Street, five blocks North of Sheppard Avenue)

Ø Date of the function: January 20^th, 2008

Ø Time of the Event: 2:30PM – 5:00PM

Ø Purpose of the event: Fundraiser in aid of crisis in Kenya

Our own Kenyan born Juno Award winner Adam Solomon & Tikisa band will entertain us to soft tunes during the fundraiser. Also, finger foods, snacks, soft drinks, tea & coffee will be provided.

Sincerely,
Ben Ondoro – President, Kenyan Community in Ontario
ben.ondoro@yahoo.com or ben.ondoro@ontario.ca

President Ben Ondoro - Kenya Crisis Appeal Fundraiser

2008-01-26T00:26:00.000-05:00

President Ben Ondoro's speech at the Kenya Crisis Appeal Fundraiser

(January 20th, 2008 – North York Civic Centre).

Two years ago, January of 2006, KCO members as well as friends of Kenya were at Metro hall in Toronto, Canada raising money in response to the “Drought” that had affected most part of Kenya and this was in response to the Red Cross appeal. We did a wonderful job with all the monies collected channeled to the Kenyan Red Cross to boost their humanitarian assistance to those affected.

Today, we are once again gathered here for yet another fundraiser towards a good cause. As we already know, the on-going violence across Kenya in recent days has left thousands of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and it is reported that over 100,000 people have been affected or displaced, over 600 killed and over 1,500 injured.

In response to this humanitarian emergency, the Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO) planned this fundraiser so that all the funds raised can be immediately transferred to the Kenyan Red Cross Team assisting on the ground.

I would like to once again welcome you on behalf of Kenyan Community in Ontario (KCO) to this fundraising event and thank you for being here with us this afternoon. We have all come from “Far and Wide” but deep inside our hearts there is only one purpose and that is, to raise funds for a noble cause. KCO has organized this event in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross and for that reason; we have the representatives from the Canadian Red Cross with us here. They will do a presentation later on.

All the monies collected this afternoon, will be channeled to Kenya through the Canadian Red Cross. Because KCO is “Third Party” hosting the event and raising funds to be donated to the Canadian Red Cross, if you are planning on writing a cheque for your donation, please make it payable to Kenyan Community in Ontario. KCO will submit one big cheque to the Canadian Red Cross plus a list of names of those who donated and the amount. Tax receipts will be issued by the Canadian Red Cross so it is very important that when filling out the donation form that you include your proper mailing address.

Tonight, as we are gathered here I want tell you that I know deep inside my heart that you are doing the right thing and I hope you will be greatly blessed and feel a sense of satisfaction when all is said and done. Three years ago I had an opportunity to help out as a Canadian volunteer in the United States during the Hurricanes Katrina /Rita and the experience I came back with has strengthened faith in working with organizations like the Canadian Red Cross.

Also, I would like to thank Councillor Michael Walker for being so generous to us by ensuring that we had a place to host this event at this location and also the city of Toronto for allowing us to use this facility. What a great team ladies and Gentlemen.

There are many organizations and businesses that have contributed to the growth of KCO either directly by sponsoring some of our events or indirectly by offering advice and I want to say thank you, please don’t give up on us.

I therefore acknowledge the support of the following organizations and businesses.

(1). Western Union – We had a donation that went towards (snacks, juices, tea, coffee)

(2). Canadian Red Cross –

(3). Kenya Airways - Mr. Shekhar is here representing KQ.

(5). Karibu Movers _ Thmas Nzyimi is here to offer support

I am appealing to all of you this afternoont that we give generously as we fundraise; I am sure God will bless you abundantly for your efforts.

In conclusion, I would like to very quickly introduce to you the Executive Board of Directors of this dynamic organization that has continued to be engaged in many activities that reflect the love for our motherland Kenya.

Board of Directors:

President – Ben Ondoro

Vice President – Basil Mwawasi

Secretary – Melanie Katsivo

Asst. Secretary – Elijah Ogato

Treasurer – Rahma Daud

Asst. treasurer – Muoi Nene

Board Member – Jane Etharia

Board Member – Njoroge wa Gitomeh

Thank you and God Bless KCO

Ben Ondoro – President, Kenyan Community in Ontario