By 
“Active nonviolence happens when peaceful means are used to promote one’s ideas, fight injustice or resist aggression. It happens when respect for one’s adversary is preached. It happens when one advocates for a struggle that does not undermine the integrity … of one’s opponent.”
— A young participant in the Kinshasa training,
Democratic Republic of Congo,
facilitated by Les Amis de Nelson Mandela
pour la défense de Droits Humains
In May 2018, Pax Christi International launched a new programme in the Great Lakes region of Africa called ‘Empowering new generations on active nonviolence and entrepreneurship’. The purpose of the programme is to educate young people on the culture of peace and active nonviolence and includes assisting disadvantaged youth in creating small scale businesses. This project is taking place simultaneously in 3 countries (Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo) and is being implemented by 16 organisations in Kinshasa, Kananga, Kisangani, Goma, Bukavu, Butembo, Uvira, Butare and Bujumbura. The project was initiated with a special “training of trainers” in order to build up a pool of young men and women trained in active nonviolence and the skills to train others. This initial group of trainers then carried out the planning and implementation of further trainings in collaboration with youth movements in their villages and at local schools. Recognising the attraction that extremist armed movements present to young people by providing them with the means to sustain themselves, it was also determined that entrepreneurship needed to be a core component of the programme, offering young people a pathway to economic sustenance. To accomplish this, the second phase of the programme concentrated on accompanying young people in income generating activities.
Project Activities
Training on trauma healing for sisters in conflict zones in DR Congo
This week, the regional Africa Coordinator of Pax Christi International, Mr Serakabuza, is organizing a training for religious sisters in the Democratic Republic in Congo, in skills and methods to deal with victims of violence, in particular girls, children and women. Our partners are the Episcopal Commission for the Institute of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CEIS) and the Dynamique Femme pour la Paix of the Episcopal Justice and Peace Commission.
DRC has experienced more than 20 years of war and armed conflicts that have not only weakened the entire civilian population, but also negatively impacted their stability especially among women, girls and children. Women and girls are often victims of all forms of violence (rape, theft, poverty, forced displacement, extortion, looting, physical, economic and moral violence…). They often seek refuge in religious communities who are committed to assist and take care of victims of violence across the country. Sometimes, sisters themselves are victims of violence . Hospitals, health centers, schools, etc. – run by religious sisters –are generally the only social structures where vulnerable people and victims of violence can go, especially in rural areas. The sisters are often exhausted. By helping victims and listening to their stories, sisters often absorb their pain and this affects them on different levels. The training on active nonviolence, peacebuilding and trauma healing is meant as a way of healing for religious sisters and as a way of strengthening and improving their support capacities.
Great Lakes: Instability continues but partner projects provide hope
From 15-18 January, the Standing Committee of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC) held their annual session in the Amani Spiritual Center in Bukavu, DR Congo.
During this meeting, also attended byDieudonné Serukabuza, Pax Christi International’s Africa Regional Coordinator, the bishops discussed the major challenges affecting thethree ACEAC countries of the Great Lakes sub-region (Burundi, DR Congo and Rwanda).
They discussed mechanisms for the protection of minors and vulnerable people against abuse, including by clergymen, and analyzed the worrying social situation caused by persistent insecurity in certain areas, in particular in Eastern Congo and on the borders of the three countries. In this area, many families live below the poverty line, and the Ebola virus and torrential rains are causing significant material damage including homelessness and deaths.
The bishops appealed to the conscience of politicians to show solidarity with those who are suffering, to keep at heart and in mind their duty to provide security to the populations, and to work for their prosperity of peoples who must be able to fully enjoy their rights as human beings.
Thankfully, many people, local communities and organisations are giving their help, striving for a better future for the people.
Pax Christi International has launched a joint cross border program in the three countries of Great Lakes region, with the aim of educating young people on active nonviolence and peacebuilding, and assisting disadvantaged youth in creating small scale businesses. All these projects are under the umbrella name “Empowering new generations on active nonviolence and entrepreneurship”. (Info here).
Dieudonné Serukabuza made a field visit to some projects, including the small scale businesses.
Pax Christi Bukavu, member of the Pax Christi network in the Great Lakes region, co-manages a project in which 10 young boys and girls have built a little farm with pigs and a shop in which they sell bags of flour.
SPR (Synergie des Femmes pour la Paix et la Réconciliation des Peuples des Grands Lacs d’Afrique), another member of network in Bukavu, is accompanying young people in selling coal.
Africa Reconciled in Goma (DRC) is giving advices and assisting a group of young people who are making and selling bread through their bakery business.
UPDDHE, Jeunes artisans de la Paix, is engaged with a project that involves 20 young people in breeding pigs.
Dieudonné’s last stop was in Goma visiting the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and the Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace (CDJP).
All these experiences are signs of light in a territory severely tested by constant natural and human-made disasters which have contributed to a fragile social situation. It is important to continue to be present bringing relief to these affected populations.
La stabilité chasse la violence
HISTOIRE DE SUCCÈS
PROJET D’APPUIS DES NOUVELLES GÉNÉRATIONS À LA NON-VIOLENCE ACTIVE ET L’ENTREPRENEURIAT
Dans le cadre du programme de la région “des Grands Lacs” d’Afrique, et plus particulièrement dans le nord Kivu (RDC), Pax Christi International et Africa Reconciled forment avec succès des jeunes à la non-violence active et à l’entreprenariat. Les objectifs de ce programme sont de permettre aux jeunes de devenir eux-mêmes des formateurs mais aussi des ambassadeurs de la non-violence active dans leurs communautés, de développer et d’aider ces jeunes à la découverte d’activités génératrices de revenus et de mettre ensuite sur pied leurs projets d’entreprise.
La formation à la non-violence active se fait à travers des “clubs de la paix” ouverts à tous. Ces clubs se trouvent au sein d’écoles, d’universités, de communautés de jeunes ou d’églises. Au total, 600 filles et garçons de 16 à 35 ans ont bénéficié de la formation sur la non-violence active et le leadership.
Parmi ces personnes, 235 jeunes ont été sélectionnés sur base de critères objectifs pour suivre une formation complémentaire en entreprenariat. Le résultat est incontestable, plus de 100 d’entre eux ont transformé leurs projets en de vraies entreprises performantes. Aujourd’hui, ces jeunes ont une vision optimiste de l’avenir. Ils sont devenus des acteurs importants de la stabilité pour leur entourage. En tant qu’artisans de la paix, ils essayent d’influencer, de transformer leurs communautés vers une culture basée sur la non-violence. Ce changement permet aux communautés de se développer progressivement vers une société positive, prospère et non-violente.
Swedish Minister visits Pax Christi International’s Member Organisation -Africa Reconciled in Goma/ DRC, 16th Nov 2019
Thanks to the support provided by Pax Christi International, Africa Reconciled (member organisation of Pax Christi International) was able to carry out actions of peace building, youth entrepreneurship, the promotion of democracy and respect for human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Africa Reconciled was recently selected by the Carter Center as an organization for the implementation of Youth Centre activities in the City of Goma. On the 16th of November 2019, Africa Reconciled received the Swedish Minister for International Cooperation to evaluate the impact of the Youth Project Initiatives supported by his country.
You can find more pictures here.
‘Training on Entrepreneurship’ – Africa Reconciled in Goma DRC
This week (21st October – 25th October 2019) PCI sponsored its member organizations to finance the entrepreneurship of youth groups. One of them –Africa Reconciled, in Goma, DRC organized the training of one youth group (11 members) on entrepreneurship before starting their income generating activities. The training took place as part of the ‘Empowering new generations on active nonviolence and entrepreneurship’, program that was conducted by the Trainers who had previously gone through the ‘Training of Trainers’ program.
After this training, the participants will be in a position to start and operate the ‘breeding of pigs’ business.
You can find more pictures and a video here and information regarding the project here.