Beyond being ivory towers

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BEYOND BEING IVORY TOWERS

Report by Kamau Victor Gitau

Participants: 16; 8 female and 8 male

ISSUES RAISED

Integrating Universities and collages in activism to bring about democratic change. forming organizations to assist the students in doing the same.

EXAMPLES OF CASE STUDIES

Fellowship Of Christian UnionS (FOCUS) a Kenyan faith based students' organization, this organization involves itself in helping the society in matters of training, relief activities, and teaching the word of God. it also involve itself in inter-universities mission and student exchange.

Tangaza Collage (a part of Catholic university in Kenya) is another example. This is what it is involved in:

the collage is actively involved in the World Social |Forum. community research through a reverse methodology i.e. starting with experience in the field and then looking at the books. come up with local content in books form and research papers to help in building local/Kenyan information. teaching and learning is based on experience to avoid influence of foreign based biases in the imported books in collages and universities.

Issues that came up:

the distance between the rich student and poor community is too long for them to learn fully the purpose of student community integration. there is lack of information in the right formats and language students participating must have a common goal so as to achieve the target set by the group. theres is a need to shift from the active verb 'to help' to building solidarity.

--Victorggk 12:35, 24 January 2007 (EAT)