My name is Kevin Kamau, and I live in the peaceful Karen neighborhood of Nairobi. For years, our community had enjoyed a quiet, safe environment where children played freely, neighbors looked out for one another, and life felt secure. But that sense of peace began to crumble when news spread that a group of land grabbers had set their sights on a portion of our neighborhood park—a place where families gathered and children played. I quickly realized that if we did nothing, our community would lose not just the park but the sense of unity and safety we had built over decades.
Our neighborhood was diverse, made up of families from all over Kenya. There was Aisha Omar, a single mother from Mombasa; Joseph Mwangi, a hardworking father from Kiambu; Lilian Chebet, a teacher from Uasin Gishu; and my own family from Meru. When the threat emerged, it became clear that protecting the neighborhood would require all of us working together, putting aside differences in background and culture. We called a community meeting at the local hall, and nearly every household sent a representative.…CONTINUE READING
