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Organizational Profile
January 2007
1.0 Background information
The Ogiek Peoples Development Program (OPDP) was founded in 1999,
and registered as a non-governmental Organisation in 2001. It was
formed by typical Ogiek elders, opinion leaders, farmers and
professionals after long land historical injustices that deprived
Ogiek community of its rights as Kenyan citizen. Its aim is to
promote and protect Ogiek culture, land, language, environment,
and human rights. It is based in Nakuru town and operates in three
main districts inhabited by this community namely: - Nakuru, Mt.
Elgon and Narok.
Ogiek means caretaker of all of plants and animals, or
scientifically the flora and fauna. The Maasai nicknamed them
iltorobo that meant a poor person without herds of cattle. They
are a hunter gatherer group and solely depend on the forest for
food, medicine, shelter and preservation of their culture. Ogiek
being foresters and conservators of nature, they are found in
places where tress, birds and wild animals provides them with
psycholgical confort. Ogiek population is being estimated to be
approximately 20,000 people, though no exact census have been done
clearly targeting this endangered community. Majority of its
members live in Mau forest, in the great Rift Valley Province. Due
to their small in number, the Ogiek have been an easy target for
all kinds of frustrations including those seeking land on which to
farm or graze.
Ogiek are the only remaining with largest group among the other
hunter gatherer in East Africa. For almost 40 years now, the
sporadic displacement of the Ogiek (derogatively referred as
Dorobo) has undertaken significant toll on its youth. A generation
of youth has been born in this problem that has continue to
negotiate elusive solutions e.g. relocation of the Ogiek to
non-forest reserves and the commission of enquiring into the land
law systems in Kenya (for instance the Njonjo and Ndungu land
commissions respectively), besides the formulation of National
Land policy.
The Ogiek continue to be denied security, education, employment
and opportunity to grow into productive citizens. It is therefore
improper to deny people access to her only source of livelihoods.
It is also emerges with clarity that the Ogiek live in a different
unique time frame with traditional legal provisions that obviously
lack integration with the British law that Kenya government
subscribes to. This eliminates the fact that the Ogiek require to
be understood and be integrated in the national laws.
For over the years hunter Gathering has been a neglected sector
and it has been regarded as an unsustainable and primitive/backward
lifestyle. This led to social and policy exclusion of the Ogiek
community in decision making process that led to continued
marginalization of the society in national policy formulation/making
process and spheres of development. Poor infrastructure, poverty,
insecurity, lack of market, inadequate social facilities and
information and low levels of participation in the formal
education systems and poor performance characterize Ogiek
inhibited areas and these conditions contribute to extreme levels
of poverty among the community. These areas includes; Mt. Elgon,
Nakuru, Koibatek, and Narok districts.
OPDP was founded so as to provide a springboard from which Ogiek
community can take a lead role in articulating and advancing their
developments, aspirations, priorities and social needs and
constantly engaging the government and other shareholders on these
issues.
3.0 Vision
The OPDP endeavors to create and environment of tranquility upon
which human life and nature prospers for posterity
3.1 Mission
The OPDP is dedicated to the Ogiek culture, Protection of nature
and the improvement of socio-economic opportunities by way of
building the synergies of the Ogiek youth and women through
education. O.P.D.P gives attention to the special needs of persons
with disability, the youth, the elderly, social justice, peace,
family stability and food security. Its pioneer project area
covers all Ogiek inhabited areas.
3.2 GOALS
3.2.1 .Advocate and lobby on Ogiek issues at all levels i.e.
local, national regional and international.
Broad activities
Advance and lobby for policies, laws and practices that advance
the course/ position of Ogiek and hunter gatherers development
To strengthen the institutional capacity of Ogiek peoples
organization for effective advocacy and development.
3.2.2: Coordinate learning and sharing of knowledge skills and
experiences between and among Ogieks organizations and key
stakeholders through:
Broad activities
Working with Ogiek community and hunter gatherers organizations
in facilitating conflict management in order to create a condusive
environment for sustainable development for hunter gatherers areas
Dissemination of information and facilitate research on issues
related to Ogiek development
Facilitate linkage between Ogiek and OPDP organization and
donors or other sources of funding
Establish a census for all the Ogiek population in their
inhibited areas
3.2.3: To enhance gender equity/parity in all aspects of Ogiek
coomunity development including access, ownership/ inheritance
through:
Broad activities
Promotion of research in gender
Promoting integration of gender in decision making process
Gender mainstreaming
4.0 OPDP governance
OPDP has a constitution that provides for the:
4.1 Annual General Assembly
This is where OPDP and its Board members meet with the community
trustees and provide a report of its performance. The AGA gives
members the opportunity to influence the direction and mandate of
OPDP. It is the source of the OPDP legitimacy as the members elect
or rejects non-performing members of the board.
4.2 Management Board
OPDP has 10 Board members being representatives from every Clan
and its composed of regional balance. All the elected
representatives must be confirmed by the Annual General Assembly.
4.3 SECRETARIAT
The OPDP has a functional/operational secretariat based in Nakuru.
The secretariat is headed and managed by Executive Chairman. In
the office are Program Officer, Accountant, Field Officers and a
Secretary.
5.0 Partners
At the moment the network is partnering with: NCIV, UNDESA, MRG,
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL,
The partnership support is as tabulated below:
Organization Type of support/partnership
NCIV Collaboration
Support to the legal cases, funding Kshs. 357,000
Support office equipments Kshs. 150,000
UNDESA
Institutional and administrative support
Capacity building on youth, women and opinion leaders
Funding Kshs.700,000 for one year
SURIVAL INTERNATIONAL
Supported exchange visit to the Bushmen Kshs.269,000
Supported air ticket to attend Bushmen court case Kshs.82,000
SYLVIE TARGAMA
Supported a one day medical camp at Kshs. 20,000
Donated drugs
ARID and SEMI ARID INSTITUTE
Supported the facilitation of the meeting between the Ogiek and
the Special Rapportour visit to Mau Forest at Kshs. 40,000 Other
partners
Efforts are being pursued to engage them and explore areas of
possible collaboration
7.0 Activities
The following are what we have managed to accomplish, current
activities and priority needs for smooth running of the network:
Past activities Current activities
Priority need
Participated in the National Constitutional conference
Civic Education on Proposed New Constitution
Cultural Exhibitions
Medical Camps
Legal cases
Bee Keeping and honey marketing
Establishment of OPDP partners for new activities
Resource mobilization.
Networking and partnership building
Marketing OPDP.
Organizational Internal Assessment.
Development of Strategic Plan.
Girl child education in Mau forest.
Institutional / organizational capacity development.
Networking and partnership building with like minded
organization for efficient service delivery.
Resource Mobilization.
Exchange visits to learn best practices that strengthen
sustainable hunter gatherer livelihoods and network management.
Resource centre and census on Ogiek population, coordination and
exchange of information.
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