Success Story

Imagine a presidential election too close to call, with tensions high. When the winner is finally declared, you see people smashing cars, attacking neighbors, and setting homes on fire in protest. That's what happened 5 years ago in Kenya.

One woman, Priscilla, barely escapes alive when her neighbors torch her home. She carries her two-month-old baby boy for days, walking to a make-shift camp.

The over-crowded camp lacks sufficient food and clean water. Disease is rampant. Her baby gets sick. Priscilla carries her son several miles to the nearest hospital. But when she signs in her Kikuyu tribe last name, the nurse in charge refuses to admit the baby. She snaps, "Take him to a Kikuyu hospital."

The child dies.

After the violence quiets down, Priscilla moves out of the camp. Soon after, she passes the same nurse, Anne, on the street. She realizes in horror - they are now neighbors.

Priscilla decides to attend a series of Search for Common Ground film and discussion groups on Kenya's conflicts. People from every tribe speak about that terrible time, even admitting their guilt. Nobody wants it to happen again.

Moved, Priscilla decides to reach out to Anne. The women meet hesitantly, mistrust hanging in the air. They begin to talk, and eventually, Anne confesses her sorrow for what she has done. She agrees to go to our group discussions with Priscilla, where they finally find the courage to reconcile.

Without our group, Priscilla says she would not have contacted the nurse. Anne was inspired to join a group fostering peace in her community and promised, "I will never again withhold medical care because of my patient's tribe."