1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to stuff. 2 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: When ever told your prediction of iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 2: And today for our activists around the world, we are 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: continuing to celebrate the disability activists around the world by 5 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:31,159 Speaker 2: celebrating the works of Christine Candia or sometimes Candy. I 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 2: think she switches up to help us out, to help 7 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 2: the those who may not know how to pronounce things out, 8 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 2: So thank you for that. But she is a part 9 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 2: of the Indoor Riights community, which is a part of 10 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: the ancestral land surrounding Lake Bogoriea in Kenya, And like 11 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 2: many of the others we have featured, Candia is an 12 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 2: advocate and an activist in so many different ways. She's 13 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: been working for the rights and protections for the indigenous community, 14 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 2: the disabled community, and the women in her country and 15 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 2: her Indigenous people group, as well as working for like 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: against climate change. There's so many things that she's doing obviously, 17 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 2: and we already know when it comes to like the 18 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: indigenous people, they are intersectional. They are kind of the 19 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 2: definition of intersectional. So this is one of those people 20 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 2: that there's so much to her activism that we might 21 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 2: not cover everything, but we kind of are focusing on 22 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: her organization and some of the things that she has 23 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 2: been awarded for as well as some of the things 24 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 2: that needs attention today. So here's more information about her work. 25 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 2: And this is a little bit from Voice dot Global. 26 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: They say, quote Christine is a mother, an accountant, a 27 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 2: peace ambassador, an indigenous disabled woman leader in the Indo 28 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: rised Indigenous community of Kenya. Over time, she has grown 29 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: to be a strong human rights defender, advocating for the 30 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: rights of the indoor rized community, with a special focus 31 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 2: on the rights of Indigenous women and persons with disabilities, 32 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 2: both at local, traditional, regional and international levels. So she 33 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: has been a fierce advocate for peace, people and community 34 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 2: since childhood. She actually talked about her own childhood experiences 35 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 2: and how the views of her community pushed her to 36 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: where she is today. In an interview with Minority Writes Group. 37 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 2: She says, quote, I remember a time, at an early 38 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: tender age, when my father's daughters were to be married off. 39 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 2: For us to be married, we had to be cut, 40 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 2: and my father had cautiously asked me about my personal 41 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: opinion on that matter. Should I go for the cut 42 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: like my sisters? While I was responding to him. Some 43 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 2: of my sisters laughed at me and said, surely, Christine, 44 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: it is more obvious for you to stay back at 45 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: home because nobody could marry you. For them, nobody would 46 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: marry me since my physical disability could not attract any 47 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 2: man from marriage. For me to avoid feeling ashamed and humiliated, 48 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 2: the advised that I stay at home for sure. This 49 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 2: prompted my father to consider taking me to live with 50 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 2: relatives who had a home closer to my school. I 51 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: ended up moving in with them, and for this reason 52 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 2: I continued with my education. So as an adult, she's 53 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 2: been able to navigate through activist network by speaking up 54 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: for the rights of her Indigenous community as well as 55 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 2: those who are disabled. Within the community, women are not 56 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: held in high regard and oftentimes women are not given 57 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 2: the same opportunities when it comes to education and employment 58 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 2: and even more and for Candia, a disabled woman, it 59 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: would have been more difficult had it not been for 60 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: her father. So there's this like like silver lining and 61 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 2: all of the things that she went through as a 62 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: child that she was able to get her education as 63 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 2: well as not becaut but able to move on even 64 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: though so many people discriminated against her. So it's one 65 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 2: of those things, it's like, okay, good, but all man, 66 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: why we all can feel that right? And she's been 67 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 2: working with the endo RIS Indigenous Women Empowerment Network, which 68 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: she helped found in twenty sixteen. She has been the 69 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: executive director and team leaders since then on. The organization 70 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 2: is a women led organization that has worked to advocate 71 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: for the rights of women and young girls and others 72 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 2: with disabilities in the Indo rights community. And here's a 73 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: more information about them and what they do from their site. 74 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 2: They say quote. Through training and income generating activities, EWEN 75 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 2: ewe N has facilitated women groups to engage in soapmaking 76 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: and acro ecological activities e g. Establishments of tree nurseries 77 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: for PWDs or people with disabilities and kitchen gardens for 78 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 2: improved livelihoods. The organization advocated for access to clean water 79 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 2: through promotion of treatment of river water to remove fluoride 80 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 2: and negotiated for drilling of a borehole by Lake Burgoria spa. 81 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,239 Speaker 2: EWEN successfully advocated for the allocation for resources to women 82 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: by the County government of Barringo, where the government adopted 83 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: a sixty thirty ration and resource allocation. As a result 84 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 2: of awen's efforts, sixty percent of the resources were allocated 85 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 2: to the bursary, out of which six point six percent 86 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 2: has been earmarked for PWDs, thirty percent for development, five 87 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: percent administration, and five percent to issuance of PPEs during 88 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,679 Speaker 2: COVID nineteen, which we're going to talk a little more about. 89 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 2: In addition, we have grated PWDs in community groups as 90 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: so as to mainstream their issues and local development. Uh 91 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: So there's a lot that they're working on. They're giving 92 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:12,799 Speaker 2: specific numbers, but they have really like hands on community 93 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: classes for people to be able to earn livings and 94 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 2: be able to live for themselves. So it's amazing. In 95 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: side note Annie, because we know we love these types 96 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,359 Speaker 2: of things. They celebrated World b Day, which is a 97 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 2: summit for the indigenous communities, which is amazing. So they 98 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 2: were coming together, has some different communities come through and 99 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: work in celebration of the work of bees. Yay, Yes, we. 100 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: Need to do a Queen Bee episode like the actual queen. 101 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 2: You know, we need to. We need to have our 102 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 2: entomologists back. 103 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: On immigrats entomologists. 104 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 2: Yes, but yes, we love bees. I just thought that 105 00:05:49,800 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 2: was a que side note. So Candia has been a 106 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: force speaking around the world about the need for more 107 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 2: advocacy work for disabled and indigenous communities, and as we 108 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: talked about earlier, they've been doing some work during COVID 109 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 2: nineteen and with that the spread of COVID nineteen, the 110 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 2: communities face new challenges that they had to confront and 111 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 2: in the same interview she had with Minority Rights Group, 112 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 2: she talked about some of those issues because it hit 113 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: them pretty hard, she says. Persons living with disabilities within 114 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: the Indo rights community and Kenya are facing several challenges 115 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 2: which have minimally, if at all, been addressed by the authorities. 116 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,119 Speaker 2: The public awareness measures to prevent the spread of COVID 117 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 2: nineteen have been less considerate to the needs of PWDs 118 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 2: in my community along with other Indigenous and minority communities 119 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 2: of Kenya's Beringo County. The aspects of social distancing is 120 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 2: unfavorable to persons who need close support for their daily lives, 121 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 2: such as the blind and those who require wheelchair support. 122 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 2: Access to healthcare services for the PWDs has also been 123 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 2: largely affected as a result of most health facilities now 124 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 2: focusing on preparedness for COVID nineteen. Access to food and 125 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 2: various social needs are also paralyzed since Marcus and any 126 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 2: forms of social gathering have been banned as a way 127 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 2: of combating the spread of coronavirus. So she went in 128 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 2: on how they have been neglected, how they've really been 129 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 2: affected and obviously this impact is even bigger because she 130 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 2: speaks about how it has affected their environmental area as 131 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 2: well as the farm life. They have lost a lot 132 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: just because they don't have access to help. They don't 133 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 2: have access to being able to go out and do 134 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 2: things freely and also again support when they need it. 135 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 2: She implored the government and leaders to acknowledge the effects 136 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 2: and to put into action better ways in protecting and 137 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 2: helping the already vulnerable communities. She continues by challenging them 138 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: with this. She says the national and county government as 139 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 2: well as other well wishers should support pwd's by providing 140 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: them with masks and food. This would ensure that they 141 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 2: do not have to move aroud around in order to 142 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 2: access basic needs. This will allow them to access medical 143 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 2: attention to sustain their livelihood without being exposed to the 144 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: risk of contracted COVID nineteen. In the situation of a 145 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: person with a disability diagnosed with COVID nineteen, they should 146 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 2: also be offered a special quarantine that also accommodates their 147 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 2: underlying conditions. She goes on and says, the health and 148 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: human rights of Indigenous people living with disabilities can no 149 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 2: longer go ignored. The challenges we face, including isolation from 150 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 2: the development agenda, existed long before COVID nineteen entered our lives. However, 151 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 2: this virus is making the discrimination we face daily even clearer. 152 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: It is time to treat us as equals and with 153 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: the respect we deserve, which is if we should be 154 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 2: common knowledge. Like I kind of scoff because I'm like, yes, 155 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 2: how is this not an automatic? And she definitely laid 156 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 2: that out for the community, And I think she got 157 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 2: little assistance, but not a lot. Let's be honest, just 158 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 2: like any other advocacy work when we see it, they 159 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 2: did it because it did not exist, and that's what 160 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 2: she continued to do. She did it. She filled that 161 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 2: space and trying to protect her community, especially through her organization, 162 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 2: and a simple ass like getting masks should not have 163 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 2: to be a plea right. But also with that, you know, 164 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 2: she talked about it a little bit of how this 165 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: is even more but already they were losing lands, they 166 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: were being evicted from their home. They are being pushed 167 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 2: out by companies trying to harm the lands by taking 168 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 2: from the resources. So so much, they're doing so much. 169 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: And with that, she did an interview with Atsmuth's World 170 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 2: Foundation podcast Connecting the Dots, and she said this about 171 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 2: her organization and her work. In our work as an organization, 172 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 2: we try to look back. When we look back, we 173 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: identify those groups that are struggling to catch up with 174 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 2: the rest of the Indigenous movement. So when I look back, 175 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 2: I see an Indigenous person. When I look back, I 176 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 2: see a woman, I see a girl child who is 177 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 2: unable to go to school. This is exactly what we do. 178 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: We help them catch up with the rest the Indigenous 179 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 2: movement and Indigenous practices. Is not about me, It's about us. 180 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,719 Speaker 2: And when I say us, everyone is on board. So 181 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 2: she is truly out there speaking and really bringing attention 182 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 2: to her work, to her community, to those with disabilities 183 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,119 Speaker 2: and how they are neglected, especially those in indigenous communities. 184 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 2: So we already know, we already know how they are 185 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 2: so impacted and often left out when there are crisis 186 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 2: involved in things like COVID nineteen. And yeah, she has 187 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 2: been awarded for her hard work with or is like 188 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: being named the twenty eighteen Kenyan Human Rights Offender. In 189 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, she also also given the National Gender 190 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 2: Inequality Commission Award, So she's she's definitely being recognized. But 191 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 2: of course she's pushing and probably could care less about baccalage. 192 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: She wants attention and she wants change, and we're here. 193 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: For that, always, always, always, and as always, listeners, please 194 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: let us know if you have any suggestions for this 195 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: segment or any other things. You can email us at 196 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: Hello at stuff Whenever Told You dot com. You can 197 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: find us on Blue Sky. I'm also a podcast or 198 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: on Instagram and TikTok at Stuff I've Never Told You. 199 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: We're also on YouTube and we have a book we 200 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: can get wherever you get your books. Thanks as always 201 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: to our super produicer Christinea or executive producer My and 202 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: your contributor Joey. Thank you and thanks to you for listening. 203 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: Stuff I've Never Told You is production by Heart Radio. 204 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: For more podcasts on my heart Radio, you can check 205 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: out the heart Radio app. Apple podcasts, or where you 206 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.