May 17, 2024 – In areas that have been long impacted by conflict and violence, the imperative of peacebuilding work must ensure that communities have the capacity to address challenges in a sustainable manner, namely in the long term and in ways that are meaningful to them. This is why our initiatives are dedicated to reshaping the attitudes and actions of those involved in conflicts and tackling the root causes within local contexts, so that they can be the ones who enact long-term change. Operating at the grassroots level, we have therefore developed a strategy of close collaboration with communities, local entities, and governments to foster peace and security.
Our focus is on empowering leaders and community members with the tools needed to resolve conflicts, beginning within their own households and extending to their communities. By recognizing the pivotal role of community leaders in conflict prevention, early warning systems, reconciliation, and fostering unity, our efforts are particularly vital to revitalize the culture and styles of leadership in regions marked by pervasive issues like unemployment and gang violence, which erode the social fabric.
A recent training initiative in Atlantis, Cape Flats, South Africa, exemplifies this commitment. Organized to equip the 58 leaders from Atlantis with essential skills, the training session covered a range of topics including Understanding Peace & Conflict, Conflict Analysis, Active Listening & Communication, and Mediation in Practice. Atlantis is a relatively new township about 45 km North of Cape Town. The community was created by the Apartheid government during the 1980s after they were forcibly removed from their homes under the Group Area Act. It is a predominantly mixed-race township, although there are also some black members of the community. As a result of this mixed nature, the community faces many challenges on a regular basis such as unemployment, gang violence and gender based violence. The session came about following a request from the Atlantis community leaders themselves, with participants registering back in February. Feedback from participants underscored a newfound sense of empowerment, reinforcing their ability to effectively lead their communities.
“I thought I knew what peace was until I started this training. I am grateful for this opportunity to empower myself and to give back to my community. I would like to thank WPDI for the great work you are doing, and I would love for this training to be made available to young people in my community. This program has educated me on such important issues, and I can better lead my community,” said participant Desiree Moses, one of the community leaders, after the session.
Our long term objective within the local community is to disseminate a culture of peace and nonviolence, it is therefore a core component of our peacebuilding strategy to reach out directly to local community members. In this light, at our Community Learning Center (CLC), we partnered with the City of Cape Town to conduct an intensive Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding training session for 62 local community members. We are proud that the City of Cape Town has placed its trust in our community outreach programs, because it underlines the importance of long term development for the local authorities, meaning local communities can take heart in the fact that organizations are working together to make their futures brighter.
The initiative, aimed at capacitating participants with mediation skills, has garnered significant enthusiasm. Many attendees have expressed how the training has shifted their perspectives and are eager to apply these newfound abilities in their personal lives and communities.
“The knowledge I have gained through this training has opened my mind to alternative conflict styles. It has offered me new ways to better deal with stressful situations, most importantly my behavior from an ‘automatic’ reaction to a more thoughtful, and appropriate, response when encountering conflict,” explained participant Salusiwe Mangenzi.
Graduation ceremonies are scheduled later this year, marking a milestone in their journey toward contributing to peaceful and sustainable societies.
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