JHC’s name HAKIMANI conflates three Kiswahili concepts: HAKI (justice), IMANI (faith), and AMANI (peace). Its inspiration and responsibility comes from the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the spirituality of its founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, encompasses the social teaching of the Catholic Church, and the passion stems from the Jesuit mission of faith that does justice. It is also guided by decrees of the Jesuits General Congregations 32, 34 and 35 which placed emphasis on ‘the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice’ and focuses on fighting poverty, with priority for Africa.
Guiding Principles and Approaches
JHC is guided by principles and approaches developed by the Society of Jesus for its social apostolate work globally. For its work in the region it has adopted four principles (Accompany, Inform, Serve and Influence) and five approaches (Social research and publications, Awareness creation and raising, Capacity development, Lobbying and Advocacy, and Networking and partnerships). Further, JHC uses the media as a platform for outreach and to enable it disseminate information to its target groups and audiences as well as the general public.
Vision:
A world governed by the justice of God
Mission:
To Advance for Creative, Effective, Responsive and Just governance systems
Core Values:
JHC is guided by the following core values: Inclusivity, Dignity, Human Integrity, and Cultural diversity.
JHC is a research, formation and social action institute in Eastern Africa that works to promote the study and action on issues linking faith, justice and peace in the Jesuit Eastern Africa Province. It was started in 2001 as a programme of the Jesuit Eastern Africa Province as a more visible expression of the social justice dimension of the Jesuits’ identity and mission. It is owned and run by the Jesuit Fathers Registered Trustees of the Eastern Africa Province of the Society of Jesus.
The idea of establishing a centre for social justice was first crystallized in 1988 in the Apostolic Plan of the Eastern Africa Province. The then Provincial, Fr. Paul Besanceney, SJ, commissioned Fr. Rodrigo Méjia, SJ (now retired Titular Bishop Vulturia and Vicar Apostolic of Soddo-Hosanna, Ethiopia) to conduct a survey and feasibility study on the establishment of a ‘social Centre’ in the Province.
This was followed by the appointment of a number of Jesuits in 1991 to form the ‘Faith and Justice Network’. The Network’s main task was to gather information and share it with other members of the Province. This information was later published in the bulletin “Points of View”.
In 1994 the establishment of a ‘Centre for Concern’ was voted as a Province Priority and included once again in the New Apostolic Plan. The expectation was that the Network would progressively develop a Documentation Centre. This process culminated in the establishment of a Centre for Faith and Justice in Kangemi, Nairobi, with a full-time coordinator. In October 2001, Fr. Ludwig Van Heucke, SJ was appointed full-time Director of ‘Hakimani Centre’. At the time, the Centre operated from Shalom House on Ngong Road, Nairobi. This is when the first structures and programmes were established and marked the formation of JHC. It was later housed at Riara Road, on the same complex as the Hekima College Institute for Peace Studies and International Relations for a period before moving to its current home at Loyola House.
JHC is a multifaceted organization that aims at the transformation of structures that shape society through in-depth social analysis and education.
The name HAKIMANI conflates three Kiswahili concepts: HAKI meaning justice, IMANI meaning faith, and AMANI which means peace. The distinct identity of Hakimani combines religious, public and African values. The strategic intent in combining these is to celebrate diversity and to create a positive identity in a divided society by promoting the values of human dignity, equality, tolerance and multiculturalism. This identity makes JHC the voice of sanity and provides a fulcrum from which people can consider current issues and make informed choices.
The inspiration and responsibility for JHC comes from the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the spirituality of its founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, who was the first to outline a way of making far-reaching decisions within complex currents of good and evil that influence public life. The compass for its ministry is set by the social teaching of the Catholic Church, and the passion stems from the Jesuit mission of faith that does justice. This is also in line with the decrees of the Jesuits General Congregations 32, 34 and 35 which placed emphasis on ‘the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice’ and focuses on fighting poverty, with priority for Africa.
JHC was established by the Jesuit Eastern Africa Province as a ‘Centre for Social Concern’ that would influence national governance agenda on factors that combine to undermine human dignity, especially poverty and violence. It provides support to the Church and other partner organizations in its endeavor to meet its mission. As a center for evidence based advocacy and the voice of sanity, JHC provides a fulcrum from which people can consider current issues and make informed choices that offer hope to the marginalized in society. It carries out its work through research, advocacy and other appropriate interventions.
JHC has developed local, regional and international partnerships that fall in six main categories; Jesuit Institutions, Other Catholic Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Funding Partners, Government Agencies and Media Houses. The majority of JHC’s relationships and linkages are more visible in Kenya, with limited visibility and presence in the other countries in the Region.