Muchemi Wachira
9 March 2008
Nairobi — For the women at the camps for the internally displaced persons in Limuru, there was nothing glamorous about the day on Saturday but many decided to shed the gloom that surrounds their lives and celebrate the International Women's Day.
"We cannot say that things are all that good. But we decided to make today a celebrations day to observe the women's day," said Martha Wanjiku Maina, 30. Ms Maina led other women of the newly formed Changwe Kirathimo Women Group in celebrating the day.
They launched the group last Wednesday.
Thirty-eight women, most of them below 30 years, sang and danced bringing a carnival mood to the usually dull Kirathimo Community Nutrition Centre's IDP camp.
The camp accommodates many families displaced from the Rift Valley and Western provinces during the post-election violence.
Elderly women and children thronged the community's hall to be entertained by the troupe of the women dancers who donned blue lesos.
"A visitor brought us these lesos for use today while launching our group as we observe the International Women's Day)," Ms Maina said.
She said the new self-help group at the camp would assist them to start income-generating projects.
"Our intention is to start entertaining people at weddings and other ceremonies so that we can earn money since all of us are jobless, having been displaced from our farms," Ms Maina who was displaced from her farm in Narok said.
Not all the women at the camp saw the need of observing the International Women's Day though.
"We are aware about the day, but what should we have done? Life is just too difficult for us to start celebrating," said Alice Waithera, who chairs a committee of IDPs who live outside the camp.
She said most of the women in her group had gone to look for casual jobs in tea farms in the camp's neighbourhood.
Some of the elderly women so no reason to join the celebrations.
"We wanted to have the dancing session while as we sell baskets and sweaters to visitors to make money for our upkeep but we did not get materials to make these goods so we decided not to celebrate," said Ms Margaret Wanjiru.
The elderly women had even prepared songs and dances for the occasion but did not perform them.
"I have been teaching them how to dance mucug'wa and ndumo (traditional Kikuyu dances) but why should we dance today? There is no need. People should not celebrate when they are not happy," said Ms Jane Wanjiku, 94
"Maybe we will celebrate another day when we can invite visitors to come and see good things they can buy from us after entertaining them," the grandmother said.
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