KENYA CRISIS
Events and Information

KENYANS & FRIENDS
IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

For background information on
the Kenyan crisis, see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7165962.stm

For updates, visit:
The Nation
http://www.nationmedia.com

The Standard
http://www.eastandard.net

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES FOR KENYA
The Mennonites Central Committee (www.mcc.org) are collecting items listed, to make up emergency relief kits to ship to Kenya. You and your friends/colleagues can donate any of the individual items listed. Let us all help to alleviate suffering among the internally displaced people of Kenya.

Please contact the following volunteers to arrange for pick up:

LONDON, ON
Melanie Katsivo
mkatsivo@yahoo.com

Mary Anne Kamau
mkamau@uwo.ca

Julia Katsivo
jkatsivo@hotmail.com

GREATER TORONTO AREA
Sarah Kariuki
sarahkariuki@yahoo.com

muthoni mbogoh
muthonimbogoh@yahoo.com

Jared Keburi
jkeburi@yahoo.com

Pastor William
willkimando@yahoo.com

Sam Mbinda
scmbinda@rogers.com

Elijah Ogato
elijahogato@yahoo.com

RELIEF KITS
Contents (NEW items only)
• 4 bars bath soap (110-140g / 4-5oz, in wrappers)
• 1 plastic bottle shampoo (380-710ml / 13-24oz; place bottle in a resealable plastic bag)
• 10 cups powdered laundry detergent (double bag in 4 liter / 1 gallon resealable plastic bags)
• 1 squeeze-tube toothpaste (minimum 130ml / 6oz; leave in box)
• 4 adult-size toothbrushes (leave in packaging)
• 4 new bath towels (medium weight, dark color)
• 1 hairbrush (remove packaging)
• 1 comb (20cm / 8")
• 1 fingernail clipper
• 1 box adhesive bandages (minimum 40, assorted)
• 1 package sanitary pads (18-24 thin maxi or ultra thin)

SCHOOL KITS
Contents (NEW items only)
• 4 spiral or perforated notebooks (about 21.5cm x 27cm / 8.5" x 10.5" and 70-80 sheets U.S. / 140-160 pages in Canada, more info)
• 4 unsharpened pencils
• 1 ruler (flat, flexible plastic; indicating both 30cm and 12")
• 12 colored pencils (in packaging)
• 1 large pencil eraser

SEWING KITS
Contents (NEW items only)
• 1 metric tape measure
• 2 spools dual use white thread (cotton/polyester, minimum 273m / 300 yards each)
• 2 spools dual use black thread (cotton/polyester, minimum 273m / 300 yards each)
• 1 thimble (medium size)
• 1 dressmaker's scissors (good quality)
• 1 pkg. needles (approx. 25)
• 1 pkg. straight pins (approx. 100)
• 1 pkg. hooks and eyes (approx. 12)
• 1 pkg. sew on snaps (approx. 20-25)
• 10 assorted safety pins

SOAP KITS
Soap specifications
• New bars of soap
All sizes and kinds of soap are acceptable. Please leave the wrappers on.
• Homemade laundry soap
Soap blocks about 5cm x 10cm / 2" x 4" should be dry before delivering to a material resource center

TOWEL
Towel specifications
• NEW bath and hand towels (Good quality, dark-colored, medium weight preferred)
• Note: Fingertip towels and washcloths are not needed.

AIDS CARE KITS
Contents (NEW items only)
• 1 bar bath soap (110-140g / 4-5oz; in wrapper)
• 1 bath towel (medium weight, bright color)
• 1 washcloth (bright color)
• 2 flat bed sheets (twin-size)
• 2 pillowcases (standard size)
• 2 yards fabric (poly-cotton, bright color)
• 1 pair rubber gloves (large size, for household cleaning)
• 1 container petroleum jelly (approx. 368g / 13oz; sealed in plastic bag)
• 1 container medicated body powder (ie. Gold Bond; approx 283g / 10oz)
• $100 to purchase medicines and Bibles for people living with AIDS, to train volunteers in basic home health care, and to provide food and travel allowances for volunteers.
(Make check payable to "MCC - AIDS Care Kit")

COMFORTER/BLANKETS
Comforter specifications
• Use new or nearly new material
• Single/twin- size preferred (approx. 152cm x 203 cm / 60" x 80")
• Double/full- size accepted (approx. 208cm x 228cm / 82" x 90")
• Winter weight preferred (please use quilt batting)
• Light weight to medium weight also accepted
• Knotted with crochet cotton (not more than 10-15cm / 4-8" apart)
• Get children involved: use fabric markers or fabric crayons to draw pictures on blank muslin or solid fabric comforter tops
Also needed
• NEW flat twin sheets (for hospitals, schools and orphanages)
• Purchased blankets (twin or full size)

FABRIC
Fabric specifications
• Suggested fabrics include twill, cotton, cotton blends, wool and corduroy.
• Print, plaid or solid are all acceptable.
• Please no 100% polyester.

HEALTH KITS
Contents (NEW items only)
• 1 toothbrush (adult size; leave in wrapper)
• 1 squeeze-tube toothpaste (minimum 130ml / 6oz; leave in box)
• 1 bar soap (110-140g / 4-5oz, in wrapper)
• 1 fingernail clipper
• 1 hand towel (larger than fingertip, dark color)

NEWBORN KITS
Contents (NEW items only, size 3-9 months)
• 2 gowns/sleepers (lightweight cotton)
• 2 undershirts/ sacques/onesies (short or long sleeves)
• 4 cloth diapers (flat-folded preferred)
• 1 receiving blanket (mediumwieght cotton or flannel; minimum 92cm / 36 ")
• 4 safety pins (5cm / 2")
• 1 bar mild soap (110-140g / 4-5oz; in wrapper)
• Remove packaging material (except soap) and fold into the receiving blanket. Fasten together with the safety pins.
• Note: Nylon and nylon fleece are not suitable fabrics. Items can either be purchased or handsewn.
Packages of pre-cut materials are available from some MCC offices.

Canadians urge Harper Government to push for restoration of democracy in Kenya
For Immediate Release
Monday, 7 January, 2008

Ottawa, Canada - The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) and members of the Kenyan-Canadian community applaud Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier and International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda for their initiative during the post-election crisis in Kenya, and commend the Government for its initial offer of financial assistance to the people.

"We are thankful for Canada's contribution of $1 million to the Kenyan Red Cross," said Tegi Obanda, International Coordinator of the Coalition for Constitutional Reforms Kenya (CCR-K). "It is a good start, but more must be done."

"Canadians and Kenyans have so many Commonwealth and other longstanding ties," said former Secretary of State for Africa, David Kilgour. "We and our government should stand with Kenya's people in their time of trial just as we did with Ukrainians after their flawed presidential election in 2004."

On behalf of all Canadians, and most notably members of the Kenyan-Canadian community, we call on the Government of Canada, as a member of the Commonwealth, to:

i) reject the December 27 election results for the presidency because, while the casting of ballots was done in an orderly and peaceful manner, the counting of ballots and transmission of results appears to have failed to meet minimum standards of fairness, accountability and transparency;
ii) call for an interim national unity government in Kenya comprised of all elected politicla parties to establish and adopt a democractic citizen-driven constitution within one year;
iii) support the holding of a new presidential election to be observed by the international community (including Canada) following the adoption of a new democratic constitution;
iv) offer the assistance of Elections Canada to provide technical advice and support for new elections;
v) support the activiation of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAHGG) to assist in restoring stability and democracy in Kenya; and,
vi) increase humanitarian assistance for the construction of numerous homes and shelters lost as a result of the post-election violence.

According to Obanda, "The root cause of the problem is the lack of a democratic constitution. Without a new constitution, Kenya is heading towards being another failed state in Africa."

"At this time, Kenyans are looking to Canada as a good friend for help and support," said Naresh Raghubeer, Executive Director, CCD. "Canada must not let them down."
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For more information, please contact:
Naresh Raghubeer, Executive Director, CCD
(613) 216-2095
Tegi Obanda, International Coordinator, CCR-K
(613) 316-5501
Hon David Kilgour, former MP and Secretary of State for Africa
(613) 747-7854

Founded in 2003, the Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) is a national, non-partisan, multi-ethnic, multi-religious organization of concerned Canadians dedicated to civil liberties, national security and the protection and promotion of democracy at home and abroad. CCD focuses on research, education and media publishing to build a greater understanding of the importance of national security and a pro-democracy foreign policy. http://canadiancoalition.com