UNDP, AJA Train Community Leaders in Peacebuilding

The five-day workshop brought together 64 community leaders from the five sub divisions that make up Donga Mantung Division. The workshop was organized by African Justice for Peace Association in partnership with the United Nations Development Program. According to Abanda Marcel, Chief Executive Officer of AJA the project is aimed at promoting social and Economic Cohesion in Donga Mantung Division,

Harping on the partnership with UNDP, Abanda Marcel disclosed that the project has established and distributed 100 birth certificates to Internally Displaced Persons and the needy in society. He added that the project is expected to empower citizens and reinforce institutions in order to enhance social cohesion and peacebuilding.

Addressing participants during the opening ceremony, the Divisional Officer for Nkambe Central, Ngida Lawrence Che reminded stakeholders that peace doesn’t necessarily means the absence of war and expressed gratitude to UNDP and AJA for their contribution to peacebuilding in communities. He used the opportunity to call on participants to be ambassadors of peace in their various communities and villages after the training.

Although it is a challenging task but the 64 peacebuilders are expected to be innovative by leaving behind old habits and embrace socialization. This according to the trainers implies that they need to adopt an approach that is very different from the previous ways they were living in their villages or communities. Their  new approach, it should be recalled will consist of establishing good relationships with everyone, learning more about their communities or village’s history, and taking action to deal with conflict as a budding stage.

Participants were told that whenever a problem arises in their community, they should engage in dialogue with an open mind and the real will to listen to others. Only then will they be able to understand each other and build bridges. “Change cannot happen and peace cannot be established if people are unable to communicate with others; to listen to their experiences and views and show empathy, understanding and compassion”. Aristotle says that “it is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”. Implicitly, the prerequisite for a peacebuilder is to preach and practice tolerance and above all build a culture of tolerance in others. 

During the five days, participants were drilled on topics such as: defining conflicts, perspectives of conflict, observing conflict. Identifying conflict styles, practicing conflict analysis, responding to conflict, nonverbal conflict, characteristics of peacebuilders, peace builder in action, peacebuilders in action etc etc.

Talking to this reporter, the fon of Nkambe, HRH Fon Ibrahim Japfu Nfor, said he has learned new skills in conflict resolutions that will go a way to enable him solve problems whenever the need arises. He thanked UNDP and AJA for empowering them.

DO for Nkambe Central

Fon of Nkambe and CEO of AJA

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