Peace and Climate Change

My Scars from Uganda and Why Peace and Climate Change Must Be Linked

I am Faruok Saidi, the fifth born in a family of seven children. I was born and raised in Kisumu, Kenya—a place that shaped both my pain and purpose.

My life changed drastically during Kenya’s 2007/08 post-election violence, a tragic chapter in our nation’s history. The contest between the late President Mwai Kibaki and the Right Honourable Raila Amollo Odinga ignited deep-rooted ethnic tensions. As the son of a Ugandan father and a Kisii mother, we were seen as outsiders in a Luo-dominated region.

Our home was torched by people we had called neighbors for over 30 years. My father was brutally attacked by a mob and sustained injuries that required amputation. Sadly, he later passed away from complications. My youngest brother disappeared in the chaos—we have never seen or buried him. To this day, the thought of him brings sleepless nights. My mother fell into deep depression. I had just returned from completing my O-levels in Uganda and suddenly found myself out of school, forced to take on the responsibility of raising my younger siblings and caring for my grieving mother.

Amidst the devastation, I found strength and refuge in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which later supported my education through the Perpetual Education Fund. I am now a Self-Reliance Specialist in the Church and recently had the sacred opportunity to visit the Nairobi Kenya Temple, where I fasted and prayed for lasting peace in our land.

This life-changing experience turned my trauma into a mission. I became deeply passionate about promoting peace and reconciliation.

In the aftermath of the violence, I co-founded the Manyatta Youth Resource Centre, using sports and performing arts to reach young people and promote peacebuilding in the informal settlements. I served as Chairperson and led numerous campaigns to redirect youth energy from violence to creative, peaceful expression.

This work gave birth to national initiatives such as:

Linda Amani (“Protect Peace”) — which mobilized youth across the country to choose peace over political violence.

Sitarusha Nawe Tena (“I Will Not Throw Stones at You Again”) — a movement where I served as Head of Secretariat, working closely with peace ambassador Bonface Agutu Akatch to foster dialogue, tolerance, and conflict resolution.

But peace alone is not enough without climate justice.

In our region, environmental degradation is fueling water scarcity, food insecurity, and even new conflicts. This inspired me and fellow advocates to found Flamingo Chap Chap CBO, a youth-led organization addressing both environmental injustice and peacebuilding. We now proudly represent the Global Waterkeeper Alliance, based in the U.S., and work with other international partners like the World Water Council in France.

Our current programs focus on:

Restoring and protecting River Auji through cleanups and public advocacy.

Empowering slum youth with knowledge and tools for climate resilience.

Linking peaceful communities with environmental stewardship.

This work has also taken me beyond Kenya’s borders. I have been invited to seven African countries to preach peace and advocate for sustainable solutions—including South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and across Kenya. These journeys have taught me one universal truth: peace and climate stability must go hand in hand.

This year, I’ve been invited to represent Flamingo Chap Chap CBO and Kenya’s Lake Victoria Waterkeepers at the Africa Waterkeeper Alliance Summit in Senegal (September 9–13, 2025), as we prepare together for the 2026 UN World Water Conference. It will be a platform to share lessons from Kenya’s grassroots and to build global solidarity for clean water and climate justice.

Through it all, my deepest conviction remains: a peaceful, climate-resilient Africa begins with empowered communities.

To learn more about our work, or to support our mission, please visit:

📘 Facebook: Kongo Williams | Flamingo Chap Chap CBO

The title “From Ashes to Action: My Journey from Ethnic Violence to Peace and Climate Justice”