Katerina's Story

Katerina Saruni

​“UCRT sponsored me until Form 5. Without their support I would have been forced to become the fifth wife of a man who was older than my father and I wouldn’t have been able to go to school. My progress in secondary school was then delayed because I was in an accident that left me badly injured. It took me a long time to recover and I am still partially deaf."

​"In early 2014 I was about to start my last year of school when I found out I had been selected to be a member of the Constitution Constituent Assembly after UCRT had proposed my name through the Katiba Initiative. At first, as the only hunter-gatherer out of 628 people, it was hard to get issues relating to my community raised. I felt the Parliament was dominated by politicians who were not fighting for the rights of citizens. UCRT advised and supported me and I started to work with people representing groups, such as farmers and pastoralists. In the end I requested and was granted a special slot to address the Parliament and talk about hunter-gatherers needs and interests. I believe I was successful as hunter-gatherers rights are now protected under the proposed Constitution."

"In 2015, I want to complete my A levels so I can go to college and study Health and Environmental Sciences. I want to help my community as they are still marginalized and their voices need to be heard.”
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-Katerina Saruni, UCRT-sponsored student and Akie hunter-gatherer