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Sometimes things fall into our laps. They become ours without much work, effort or forethought. However, sometimes we see something that we desperately want and it takes a lot of energy and discussion before we can even dare to dream of that thing becoming ours.

For Daraja’s Form 4 students Rose R., Lilian T., Mary S. and Asuza… the thing that they wanted more than almost anything else was peace. Peace in their communities, peace in their homes and peace inside of themselves. The creation of Daraja Academy’s Peace Club was the first step in that process.

“For me, peace is everything,” Zulfa said.

Like Form 1 Zulfa, many of the club’s 18 members come from the Kenyan north, an area often riddled with tribal conflict. It is impossible to envision a peaceful tomorrow without a strong dose of hope. As the girls discuss their club, it is clear that its roots are planted firmly in the lessons learned during the school’s W.I.S.H. class, Women of Integrity, Strength and Hope.

“Peace is important at Daraja. Where I come from the Somali, Samburu and Turkana are fighting. But, when you come to Daraja we have Somalis, Samburu, and Turkana and we are all friends with each other,” explained Scholastica during a Peace Club meeting under one of Daraja’s old shade trees.

In a beautiful stroke of Daraja irony, founding member Rose began thinking seriously about a Daraja peace club while traveling home during one of the month-long term breaks – a trip that takes three days portal to portal.

After completing the first leg of her journey, Rose, a member of the Gabra tribe, called home to let her mother know that she would be staying the night in Marsabit with her classmate Shamsia’s family, who come from the Borana tribe.

Her mother was terrified that her daughter would be harmed by the host family. Always quick on her feet, Rose calmly asked, “Mom, would you harm a house guest just because they were from another tribe?”

Without a moments pause, Rose’s mother answered, “Of course I wouldn’t hurt a guest in our home.” To which Rose responded, “Good, they will not hurt me either. And Mom, one of my classmates will be staying with us for the night as she travels further North… and she is a Rendille.”

Regardless of whether they hail from the Somali, Samburu, Turkana, Gabra, Borana, Rendille or another of the tribes represented in Daraja Academy’s culturally rich student body, while on campus they are all young women growing in a unifying dream. The students of Daraja dream of a better, more peaceful tomorrow, free of hostility and fear.