When Jomo Kenyatta stood at independence and said Harambee, pull together, he was invoking a tradition that already existed in Kenyan communities. Harambee became the national philosophy of self-help.
Communities across Kenya built schools, health clinics, and water projects by pooling their labour and resources. In the 1960s and 70s, harambee built more schools than the government could.
The tradition was later corrupted by politicians who used harambee fundraisers to launder money and buy votes. But in its original form, it was one of the most powerful expressions of community spirit in post-colonial Africa.