Skillshare partners collaborate to promote peace in Kenya

The violence that erupted throughout Kenya in the immediate aftermath of the disputed 2007 elections affected Skillshare International’s partners in the country in many ways. Our development workers were evacuated and projects were temporarily suspended. However, it wasn't all negative - two of Skillshare International's partners in Kenya, Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA) and Ngei 1 Development Youth Group, worked together to promote peace and build conflict management skills.

The level of violence and subsequent trauma of the Kenyan crisis was shocking. Communities that for years had lived in peaceful coexistence rose against each other as a result of manipulation by political leaders.  People living in Nairobi's slum areas such as Mathare, Huruma, Dandora and Kibera suffered significantly, and young people were among the worst affected. These areas are poor and ethnically mixed, making them particularly vulnerable.

Instability and volatility in the aftermath of the elections meant that there was an urgent need to equip young people in slum areas with conflict management and peace building skills.  This is where Skillshare's partners came in - one with credibility and experience of working with young people in slum areas, the other with the expertise and experience in conflict transformation and peace building: Ngei 1 Development Youth Group (DYG) and Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA).

Ngei 1 DYG is a community-based organisation in Huruma which works with young people on environmental, health and youth development issues.  Skillshare International development worker John Cornwell, who is on a placement at Ngei, explains: “The vision of the group is to see a society in which young people are empowered, self reliant and actively involved in community development.  Despite ten years of effective work, the lack of peace in the area prevented our development efforts from continuing as they should.”

COPA is an African network of peace builders whose purpose is to promote peace, justice, human rights and development.  With its secretariat based in Nairobi, COPA sees the aftermath of the post-election violence in Kenya as being critical for long term peace in the country.

Building young people's skills

Ngei 1 Development Youth Group and COPA worked together to initiate a peace building project for young people in the slum areas.  The initiative aimed to restore peace and tranquillity, normalising daily life and reconciling inter-ethnic relations.  From March – May 2008, they jointly trained 77 young people from Huruma, Kibera and Dandora in Conflict Transformation knowledge and skills.

Skillshare International development worker Monique Janssens started her placement at COPA in 2008 and is very enthusiastic about the cooperation: “We were all co-facilitating – Ngei 1 DYG, COPA, Kenyans and international development workers. Our energy was catching to our audience – all participants ended up actively contributing to the workshops.”

Jacob Odongo from Ngei 1 DYG co-facilitated the workshops: "It gave the participants a chance to realise that they are and can be peace builders. It also made them realise the value of peace in their communities. Some of them actively participated in the violence and they really regretted their actions. By the end of the workshop, they vowed to maintain peace in their communities.”

Comments from the participants are equally positive.  An exercise on discrimination was an eye-opener to many.  As they reported, one of the important lessons from the workshop was that "one can discriminate without knowing."  One stated "I will commit myself to solving conflict and not become a cause."  Another promised "I will become a peace maker everywhere I go."

John explains, “These young people do not only need attention in the short term.  We need to equip them with more in-depth information and skills on conflict transformation, and facilitation, so that they can become highly skilled and respected peace-builders in their communities for many years to come.”

Monique adds: “Transformation of conflict can only be successful if the root causes of the conflict are addressed, which asks for a prolonged sustainable programme. Only when real peace has arrived, only then can the young people fully resume their economic activities and start generating an income.”

Find out more at www.copafrica.org and www.ngei1youth.org

Coalition for Peace in Africa:
Promoting sustainable peace

In close consultation with Skillshare International and Comic Relief who provided funding for the project, COPA introduced a special programme for Kenya in the immediate aftermath of the crisis:

• Trauma awareness - for community group leaders in the Rift Valley.
• Peace journalism - for mainstream media houses.
• Conflict transformation training (in cooperation with Ngei 1 DYG) - for organised youth groups living in Nairobi's slum areas.

But COPA's peace building work in Kenya is not finished yet.  COPA has designed a longer term programme to follow these initial steps towards long lasting peace and reconciliation.  The focus in the future will be mainly on trauma awareness, both for communities and for NGOs devoted to peace in Kenya.

Ngei 1 DYG:
Peace building in 2008

• Actively participated in forming and developing the Nairobi Young People for Peace network. Activities included dialogue meetings, peace building workshops and support for network members.
• Local community events to promote harmony in the area including a football tournaments, talent show, children's activities.
• Two members of the youth group are currently serving as UN Neighbourhood Volunteers for Peace, providing humanitarian support, counselling and community activities to promote peace such as a forthcoming Peace Procession throughout the area.
• Collaboration with other organisations, including COPA, Youth Initiatives Kenya and local youth groups, to provide training for young people on conflict transformation and peace building.