The King Center is celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by inspiring and educating youth to "Choose Nonviolence." In a press release from earlier this month, Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, stated that this year's theme "underscores the urgency of Dr. King’s challenge to people of every nation to choose nonviolence as a way of life, as well as a method for peaceful social change."

At Opportunity International, we’re constantly inspired by Dr. King’s impassioned cry for a peaceful end to inequality. And we’re committed to helping create a world where all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose. People like Humphrey Omulubi Ngonga.

Humphrey Omulubi Ngonga Believes in Nonviolence  

Humphrey Omulubi Ngonga is the Chairman of a consortium called Dynamic Businesses in Eldoret, Kenya. With the support of Opportunity International and his family, he has started seven businesses, including a video production and display shop, a place to charge all kinds of batteries and phones, a photocopy center and a kerosene retail service. He also translates DVD movies into local languages. Humphey runs all his shops in a tribally mixed urban market.

Opportunity International's financial services and training have helped Humphrey break free from poverty. Opportunity has also always encouraged him to help others grow as well. Whenever Humphrey starts a new business he also has to hire new employees. Humphrey knows it is sometimes not easy to be a friend to everyone, especially to people who may be different or from another tribe. But he believes in treating all people well so he hires based on merit, not tribal preference. Humphrey concludes, “We are one.  We are one.  Where there is God, there is no fight.  There is no misunderstanding.  And, I believe it!”           

When he remembers the post-election tribally fuelled violence that shook Eldoret in 2008, Humphrey shakes his head. “It was bad when the riots began. There was this tribe killing this tribe. There was this tribe chasing this tribe because of political misunderstanding. They were burning shops, because of hatred.”

Opportunity International Eldoret Branch Manager, Daniel Wafula, fashioned a local response to help defuse post-election tensions. Daniel explains, “My staff are in the business of peace and love. We emphasize the need for more than one tribe in each trust group. We encourage and remind trust group members that we should love each other. We should not let politics separate us because we are the same. Our friendship is our peace." 

Today and every day, Opportunity International staff and clients around the world embody Dr. King's values and legacy.