Quaker peace work aims to turn the tide in East Africa
Quakers and Quaker-related peace workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have undertaken training in peacebuilding.
The sessions, co-ordinated by Congolese Quakers and delivered for the first time in Swahili, aimed to develop a team of facilitators to deliver Turning the Tide (TTT) nonviolence training.
Millions have been killed, wounded or displaced by years of conflict in the eastern DRC and the training also aimed to help participants carry out nonviolence campaigns themselves.
This training was coordinated by the Friends' church in the DRC “Communaute des Eglises Evangeliques des Amis du Congo", in partnership with the Quaker Congo Partnership UK and supported by Quakers in Britain.
Introductory TTT training took place in February 2024, delivered by East African partners of Quakers in Britain, Benard Agona (AfriNov) and Aloys Ningabira (TTT Burundi/Ministry for Peace and Reconciliation under the Cross).
TTT training focusses on violence and nonviolence, power and change, and how to plan nonviolent campaigns.
Over half the participants attending the introductory training were young people involved in peace committees in different communities of Uvira and Fizi (DRC).
“The introductory training sparked interest and passion in nonviolence as a way of life amongst the young peace actors and started building their capacity to challenge social injustice more boldly," said Agona.
The 22 participants who took advanced training with Agona and Ningabira in July deepened their skills in nonviolence and peacebuilding to both train others and to put it into practice.
“The DRC participants are very enthusiastic and have had time to practice the use of the Turning the Tide nonviolence tools," said Agona.
“Within just a few days participants were able to take the lead and introduce some of the tools themselves with support from the facilitation team.
“We were excited to also include two days of transformative mediation training alongside the Turning the Tide nonviolence programme to ensure more effective peacebuilding."