In the third episode of the Hali Hewa podcast, Abigael Kima interviews human rights activist Cindy Kobei, a member of the Ogiek indigenous community of the Mau Forest in Kenya.
Cindy has a background in law and indigenous peoples’ rights. She is a recent law graduate from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and was a 2020 participant at the Global Leadership School for Indigenous Women by International Indigenous Women’s Forum ( FIMI). She is currently pursuing a postgraduate in Law at Kenya School of Law to become an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She is also the Chair of the Tirap Youth Trust (Tirap means “safe haven”) formally known as Ogiek Youth Council where she has been actively promoting the rights of indigenous peoples, youth and girls in Kenya.
Cindy takes us through her experience as an indigenous person growing up in Mau Forest: what it was like and what has changed now in the wake of land rights issues and the climate crisis. She speaks about her work at the Tirap Youth Trust, which focuses on capacity building, advocacy and empowerment of indigenous communities in Kenya. And she shares with our audience a beautiful song written by young people from the Ogiek community that speaks to the protection of the forests and which acts as an educational tool within the community.
Cindy signs off the show by sharing what she wants the upcoming Cop27 climate conference in Egypt to deliver for indigenous communities and countries across the African continent. Enjoy the show!
To support Tirap Youth Trust find their contacts on their website. Find the song by the Ogiek Youth on protections of the forest on YouTube, Twitter @ogiekyouths or Facebook @OgiekYouthCouncil
Find all episodes of the Hali Hewa podcast here.