RECONCILIATION AND PEACE BUILDING CONVERSATION FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

Kamara Division has been characterized by violence every election time. However in the 2007 election the violence was completely out hand with all parts of the Division. Kamara was adversely affected by the post election that had negative impact on development. Most of the community projects and social cohesion were disrupted leading to collapse of many ethnic communities. This resulted by mistrust and divisions of many households making them live in fear in camps or homes. There was need to develop a project would aim to lasting peace and improve on the relations that did existed before the election.

Conversation for Social Change was a new project that aimed at joining individual together in process of personal behavioral change that leads to social change.

The project was and is being facilitated by Sisters from Maryknoll Peace Team. They are a community based in Nairobi involved in intercultural and healing process among the communities.

The objective:

To create a space for conversations and building energy for non- violent changes by gathering people from diverse background in identifying current issues in the community and explore creative and sustainable ways for change.

The shift thinking has been from competition to interconnectedness and interdependence through the lenses of spirituality, service and peace building. There is a space created for the participants for conversations that build energy for non- violent changes in minds of the participants.

The project has had six series of conversations, spread over a period of six months. The aim of these sessions is to identify the contentious issues from the participants that attributes to the conflicts in Kuresoi District and share at length on different perspectives. It involves sharing ideas, dreams, values and hopes, insights in a group of eight to ten people totally to 40 participants. The participants from diverse backgrounds, expertise, experiences, culture are able to identify past and current issues in their communities, explore creatively, and find sustainable ways that would bring change in them. It involves the openness and transparency of individuals in the discussion particularly in the crucial issues.

The conversations is followed up with a two day retreat, in which individuals concerned on peaceful social change share their insights, ideas, suggestions, lessons learned and meditate on positive actions that will eventually impact their lives.

After the retreat, the evaluations are done; the participants meet for a town hall for findings of way forward toward social change. Strategic plans are formulated in different locations.

Way forward

The team will be going for re-treat in Sotik in October, 2011

Achievements.

1. 1.Complete session of Conversation for Social Change in 2010
2. 2.Continuation of meetings of the 1^st participants.
3. 3.Recruitment of other 40 participants
4. 4.4 facilitators were trained, to facilitate the 2011 group.
5. 5.There is existing networking of the participants and other Stakeholders as development is concern
6. 6.Exchange visits within the members.

Challenges

1. 1.At the moment burglary is a threat to the community; few of the youths are causing fear to people.