Peter Hildebrand Meienberg

Peter Hildebrand Meienberg (27 November 1929 – 3 December 2021) was a Swiss Benedictine missionary who spent more than 50 years in East Africa working on refugee aid, prison reform, education, and other social determinants of health. He is the older brother of author Niklaus Meienberg. Baptised in the Gallus Chapel, Meienberg attended Catholic school and "felt an inclination" towards theological work. Meienberg formally applied as a candidate for missionary work in Autumn of 1951. Meienberg completed the novitiate the following year. This mission included a monastery, an educational centre, and a parish. Working as the administrator in 1986, Meienberg grew more involved with solving the social problems of the local community by paying for their rent, or providing a blanket. During this time, Meienberg noted that "in reality...one should change the social systems and structures; create a more equitable system for distribution of land, increase employment opportunities, build free elementary schools and fight corruption." Arriving in Goma, Meienberg witnessed the scale of massacre, disease, and prosecution in Rwanda, and celebrated a religious service (Eucharist) in the Kibumba camp. Most of these funds were used to transport medication to refugee camps.

Meienberg sent and welcomed many Rwanda refugees to his monastery in Nairobi, and worked with doctors to establish a medical centre in the monastery. Meienberg partnered with 'Little Sisters of St. Francis' to assist in the relocation of refugees, creating initially a 'first contact' for arriving refugees, then expanding to create computer schools, sewing classes, and English language courses. Faraja Trust was initially fully financed by Meienberg's networks in Switzerland. Later, Meienberg purchased land to construct luxury apartments to rent to expatriates, creating a source of funding.

Women's prison reform Upon visiting refugees thrown into prison, Meienberg noticed the poor treatment of prisoners in Lang'ata Women's Prison in Nairobi. Meienberg applied as a prison chaplain, and began implementing prison reforms. In 2013, Lang'ata Women's prison, in collaboration with Faraja Foundation, established a daycare for children of imprisoned mothers.

Meienberg's work in Lang'ata Women's prison has served as the blueprint for prison reform in Kenya, and Meienberg has consulted for several other prisons in Kenya.

Published works In addition to his missionary work, Meienberg has published a number of hymn books over the years. Some of these, such as Aleluya, Sons for the Eucharistic Congress, sold more than 1 million copies. A short bibliography of his works is as follows:

Recent Changes of Social Structure in Native Tanganyika, Fordham University, New York, 1959 Tanganyika Citizen, A Handbook of Civics, Oxford University Press, East Africa, 1966 The Gospel according to St. Mark and the Book of Genesis, Peramiho Girls Secondary, 1970 Tumshangilie Bwana, Kitabu cha Sala na Nyimbo (National Prayer/Hymnbook), Kenya Episcopal Conference, Nairobi, 1976 Aleluya, Songs for the Eucharistic Congress, Nairobit, 1985 Tumshangilie Bwana, Kenya Episcopal Conference, Nairobi, 1987. Tumshangilie Bwana, Kitabu cha Nyimbo, Kenya Episcopal Conference, Nairobi 1988 Benediktiner in Kenia, 1976–1996, Chronik der Benediktinerkongregation von St. Ottilien, 1996 Montastic Ritual, Monastisches Rituale der Salzburger Aberkonferenz, Nairobi 2002 English Hymns of the Liturgy of the Hours, Nairobi 2006 Afrika - Under die Haut, 2012