subject: The Kenyan Spirit of Harambee [print this page] The Kenyan Spirit of Harambee The Kenyan Spirit of Harambee
Kenya believes in doing things as a community. This is called the 'Harambee' spirit. 'Harambee' means pulling together. This defines how the people look at each other. Ones problems are not his alone but the communities. You will see people coming together to raise funds for someone in need and helping those who have lost loved ones cater for medical bills and other needs that may arise. A child is said to belong to the community and it is not hard to see somebody disciplining a child he does not even know because he feels that it is his duty and obligation to do so.
In the ancient Kenya, Harambee spirit was used to bring people together to do a certain task. Like in the Masaai community, the women were the ones who build houses for the family. A single woman could not be able to build a house on her own. She would therefore invite others to help her and when her friends want to build, they can rely on her too. Those who did not participate in community work did not get any help when they needed it.
In the modern Kenya, the Spirit of Harambee was introduced by the First President of the Republic. This was Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. Since the communities were divided on ethnic basis, he wanted something that would bring them all together. Therefore, the spirit of Harambee was used to build schools, hospitals and other facilities needed. It was even used to fund raise for students who were going to study abroad.
