About Us
Shalom Centre for Counselling and Development (SCCODE) is a registered NGO in Kenya
responding to relational and traumatic needs of victims of both direct and indirect violence.
Since Kenya re-introduction multiparty form of politics in 1991 most regions have experienced inter-ethnic conflicts each time the country holds its general elections (vicious cycles of ethnic-based electoral violence). Elections in Kenya are held after every five years. The root causes of these conflicts include land, poverty, identity politics, and marginalization.
The consequences arising from such violence are dire: loss of life and property, displacement of persons, loss of means of livelihood, rape
Apart from the above mentioned direct violence, Kenyans are also impacted negatively by indirect violence. Due to climatic changes, Kenya as a country has been experiencing prolonged drought leading to famine in some regions and floods in other regions. Pastoralists in North Eastern, Eastern and North Rift usually end up losing almost all the livestock to drought leaving them with no source of livelihood. Communities living in these regions, therefore, are always in constant possibility of death or anguish during famine seasons or prolonged droughts as well as prone to armed resource-based conflicts in fight for pasture and water.
The result of both direct and indirect violence that Kenyans have experienced for decades has left most Kenyans with massive trauma. Kenyans suffer from all forms of trauma: on-going and structurally induced, societal/collective, historical, secondary trauma and participation induced. As a nation we are trapped in the victim’s cycle with feelings of anger and rage that makes many desire for revenge.
Because of the urge revenge most of us are also trapped in the aggressor’s cycle where we justify violence as a form of justice.
Our History
From 1991 to 1996, key founding members who formed SCCODE worked in the camps of refugees and internally displaced people (IDP) in Kenya. It was while they were supporting the refugees and IDP that they realized the impact of trauma among them hence the need for healing and reconciliation. Their first initiative was among the IDP living in camps by then in Bungoma, Teso and Mt. Elgon Districts. These team of women organized prayer sessions for fellow women victims where they grieved together and supported each other emotionally and spiritually. They soon realized that women in the IDP camps looked forward to such meetings which helped them to cope with their traumatic situations.
The women care givers then saw the need to register an NGO –SCCODE in 2003 so that they can formally support victims on their healing journey.
The women care givers also organized conflict resolution meetings between the victims, offenders and the communities in conflict.
The meetings were successful and led to resettlement of IDP back to their farms in Mt. Elgon
Since 2003 to date, SCCODE members have supported trauma healing among communities affected by ethnic clashes, pastoral clan conflicts, and communities affected by cattle rustling. Members of SCCODE have supported healing for communities in Bungoma (Mt. Elgon Region), North Eastern, Nakuru and Eldoret in Rift Valley Region, Isiolo and the Coastal Regions
The Team
- Chair-Dr Tecla Namachanja Wanjala
- Secretary-Boniface Beti
- Treasurer-Caren Omwenga
- Executive-Director-Patrick Magara