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Delegation to World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya. Agricultural Missions, Inc. and Partner Visits in. Rural Kenya & Uganda. Our Delegation. Kenyan farmers Ugandan NGO staff AMI, Presbyterians, Methodists – US, Haiti, El Salvador Federation of Southern Cooperatives Florida Farmworkers
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Delegation to World Social Forumin Nairobi, Kenya Agricultural Missions, Inc. and Partner Visits in Rural Kenya & Uganda
Our Delegation Kenyan farmers Ugandan NGO staff AMI, Presbyterians, Methodists – US, Haiti, El Salvador Federation of Southern Cooperatives Florida Farmworkers MRCC and NFFC
WSF Nairobi 2007 7th WSF v. WEF People all over world fighting neoliberalism – privatization, elimination of social supports, & opening of “free” markets to capital WSF a space for inspiration & sharing of new visions & strategies for a better world.
Opening Rally Legacy of African liberation movements Mzungu Aenda Ulaya (White/Foreigner Go Away) Mwafrika Apate Uhuru (Africa Takes Freedom) Small percentage of population touched “They turned into governments.” Generation gap
Opening Rally Wahu Kaara Women giving learned presentations, women giving powerful speeches, women in leadership roles wherever we turned. Kenneth Kaunda urged rejection of neo-colonialism & an end to “all forms of exploitation of person by person in any shape or form.”
Social Movements Strong presence from European and African labor unions Decent work for a decent life Fighting privatization Building strong, democratic, worker-controlled unions The unions need the social movements and vice versa
Social Movements Government workers in Kenya face the same basic struggles as government workers in the US. Low pay and benefits, cutbacks, privatization. Working with youth to build consciousness to overcome corruption.
Social Movements South Africa! General Workers Union. Democratic and Worker-controlled unions make workers strong!
Social Movements – USA! Grassroots Global Justice alliance of U.S.-based grassroots groups organizing to build power for working and poor people. Committed to building a strong enough movement to prevent the US government and US corporations from suppressing popular movements and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.
Social Movements – LVC! Nairobi, January 20th, 2007 – The Seventh Annual World Social Forum kicked off today in Uhuru Park in Central Nairobi, Kenya, in front of a crowd of tens of thousands of social activists from Africa and the rest of the world.
Social Movements – LVC! Juana Ferrer of Via Campesina at the Opening Ceremony of the Forum, with her interpreter Maria Elena Martinez. Photo: Pedro Café We are the peasants, the farmers of the world, united in our struggle… We fight against those who try to undermine our riches, cultures, and people. We will fight together, comrades of the world! We will globalize the fight! We will globalize the hope!
Via Campesina Opening Mistica We reaffirm here at the World Social Forum – from the heart where humanity was born – our desire to fight, together with you. Our unity is our strength, the force which we will use to defeat the Empire, its institutions, and its politicians.
AMI – Food Sovereignty Standing outside Gate #14 of the Kasarani Sports Stadium with ears of organically grown white corn and a sign that said: "Food Sovereignty: Strategies for Transformation" … But come they did, about 120 people from dozens of countries North and South, East and West.
AMI – Food Sovereignty On the panel facilitated by Agricultural Missions, Inc (AMI) were women and men speakers from tough African American farm communities facing agrarian extinctio, rural villages in Bungoma District of Western Kenya hammered by governmental neglect and depleted soils, farm labor camps in Florida, US, small-scale farmers from Missouri, and a respondent speaker working with small farmers in South Africa.
AMI – Food Sovereignty The role of food aid in undermining food security and trumping food sovereignty in African countries; The common interests and varied complementary struggles among farmers in the industrialized north with those of rural peoples in the more agrarian south;
AMI – Food Sovereignty The importance of gender equity and empowerment in community development; Erasing the stigma from eating millet, diverse tubers, bananas and other hardy resilient African crops, Ways of breaking down the hegemony of corporate fast food culture and export dumping regimes.
Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform in Africa January 23, Nairobi. La Via Campesina launched the African part of the Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform today during the World Social Forum in Nairobi. .. One of the objectives is the fight against hunger.
Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform in Africa We are making advances in Latin American and this example can be followed in Africa. We must advance in this continent, the poorest in the world... recover the natural resources (water, land, seeds, mines, etc.) on behalf of the people. In South Africa alone, there are around 15 million landless people.
Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform in Africa Diamantino Nhampossa from Mozambique, a representative of the National Union of Farmers (UNAC) and coordinator of La Via Campesina in África, highlighted the struggles for the liberation of the African people. “500 years ago, colonialism took our lands. Since the decade of the 80s, our lands are being seized by the World Bank and now the only way out is to mobilize and carry out campaigns like this one, to motivate the people to struggle for their rights.” - Kenyan farmers at Via Campesina Workshop
Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform in Africa The Via Campesina delegation participated with around 50 delegates coming from various countries: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Angola, Congo, Brazil, France, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nepal, Madagascar, Thailand, Honduras, Nicaragua, Norway, Mozambique, Spain, Indonesia, etc.
Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform in Africa At the end of the event, native seeds from Mayan corn sent by the Zapatistas from Mexico were handed over to the men and women farmers of Africa. Rafael Alegria: "This edition represents an opportunity to strengthen the African people. 'Another world is possible!' is the motto of the WSF, and after six years we can be sure that another countryside is possible."
Are the Poor Welcome? The poor at the world social forum could not afford to eat at the food stands and restaurants that were inside the venue in Nairobi. A former governmental official who was guilty of torturing Kenyans under colonial rule owned the most profitable stand. After daily organized protest of the high costs of food, finally the protesters (the poorest from the slums) socialized the restaurant. They took the food to share with other poor WSF participants.
Via Campesina Tent Kenyan coffee farmer meeting La Via Campesina
Via Campesina Tent The Brazilians brought in the Minister for Racial Equality from the Lula government who spoke about their “Zero Hunger” policy and the new efforts at racial equality.
Via Campesina Tent Kenyan and African farmers talk about building the movement and joining Via Campesina.
GGJ WorkshopThere is movement in the belly of the beast. Labor – JwJ Economic justice – MWC and TWU Asians for Environmental Justice Racial Justice Youth – Southwest Organizing and USAS Gender? Farmers?
Kenyan Landless Alliance Over 200 Africans attended this workshop
Kenyan Landless Alliance African communities presenting cultural and informational presentations demonstrating their plight due to the rulers, the climatic conditions, the poverty. The World Bank is on their Board.
AMI Critique of Gates/Rockefeller“Green Revolution for Africa” Winston Carroo Gertrude Kenyangi Peter Rossett
Assembly of Social Movements Samir Amin calls on movements to get off the defensive and go on the offensive.
Assembly of Social Movements Danny Glover
Kenyan National Park Ostrich & Black rhinos
Kenyan National Park Lion stalking gazelles
Kenyan Countryside From Nairobi , we endured a 12-hour bus ride on horrible roads to reach Bungoma district in western Kenya where some of the farmers and NGO activists in our delegation are based.
KamusindeChristian Community-Based Organizations Martin says one day this will be a college – a liberation college. And prior to that, KCCBO will help organize a Kenyan-Ugandan social forum. US social movements need to get on board these local social forums.
KamusindeChristian Community-Based Organizations Some of the churches in Africa have taken the lead in creating and building community organizations. Going door-to-door. Talking with people to learn what it is that people are ready to organize around. Creating organizations that, in some cases are still called Christian organizations, but that are inter-denominational.
KamusindeShowing Off the Young People This is one of the poorest districts in Kenya, with 56% of the population below the poverty level, which I understand to be $1 or $2 per day. Yet, except for HIV/AIDS, the people are relatively well fed and healthy because of the productivity of the local peasants.
