April 25, 2025 – As part of our ongoing efforts to foster peace and empower communities, WPDI recently conducted a three-day Conflict Resolution Education (CRE) training session for local leaders in Namalu Sub County, Nakapiripirit District, Karamoja Sub-Region, Uganda. This training was held under WPDI’s broader program titled “Promoting Inclusive Peacebuilding and Sustainable Livelihoods Through Women, Youth Empowerment, and Entrepreneurship.”
The region continues to experience recurring challenges related to cattle raids, which have led to the loss of lives and property. While there is a measure of peace, there remains a critical need to strengthen the conflict resolution capacities of local leaders, especially following recent peace dialogues that revealed significant gaps in mediation capacity at the community level. Our initiative specifically aimed to equip 25 leaders from the districts of Napak, Moroto, Nakapiripirit, and Amudat with the practical knowledge and tools needed to respond to conflicts and foster unity effectively.
During this quarter, the focus was on Namalu Sub County in Nakapiripirit District. The training brought together 25 local leaders—21 men and 4 women—who engaged in interactive sessions on conflict analysis, mediation techniques, and practical resolution strategies. These leaders included sub-county chairpersons, local council leaders, and other grassroots representatives.
One of the participants, Longok Sabina, from Lokiyengunet Village, reflected on the experience, saying, “It is interesting to learn new concepts of mediation from the Conflict Resolution Education training program. My highlight was understanding different conflict approaches such as avoidance. In the past, I used to respond to conflicts with the aim of winning, which often escalated tensions. Now, I understand the value of cooperation and strive for a win-win outcome. With this new knowledge, I will guide my community to mediate conflicts constructively.”
Throughout the program, the leaders acknowledged the importance of proactive engagement. The Sub-County Chairperson expressed commitment to initiating inter-district dialogue meetings with leaders from Amudat and Nakapiripirit to ease tensions that have led to recent violent incidents. In addition, local council leaders resolved to hold intra-community dialogues aimed at restoring harmony between communities in Amudat and Nabilatuk Districts.
Participants also requested that WPDI consider organizing additional conflict resolution training sessions, ensuring that a broader base of local leaders is empowered to manage disputes at the grassroots. Attendees shared a commitment to sharing the knowledge gained with peers at the village, parish, and sub-county levels.
Losike Zachary from Lolelia Arengan Village shared how the training had impacted his leadership, stating, “Thank you WPDI for yet another training on conflict resolution education. This has given me the opportunity to lead my people in an open and transparent way. As a charismatic leader, I’ve promoted unity through activities like weekend village clean-ups in Lolelia, which have fostered cohesion and helped reduce conflict. I am proud to be called a peacemaker.”
As we continue to build the capacity of community leaders across Karamoja, this initiative marks an important step toward long-lasting peace and development. By empowering local leaders with practical tools and knowledge, the foundation is being laid for a more resilient and harmonious region where communities can address challenges constructively and collaboratively.
This program is made possible thanks to the financial support of a foundation that wishes to remain anonymous.