Creators of Peace Circles Changing Lives
Follow Up in Eldoret- Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
On the 23 September, 2015, the Creators of Peace (CoP) team met with 27 selected women who had taken part in CoP training in 2014 at Bondeni PAG Church in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. Just like in other places, it was the first time CoP was doing a follow-up meeting. Had CoP made an impact in the lives of the women and their communities?
Margaret’s husband had deserted her and her family. After the CoP training, she found peace with herself and her children. As a result her husband came back home after 14 years and ate at the same table with her and then remained home. From that day, the community saw a different woman and respected her.
Young Angela is a student and a class representative at Kisii University, Eldoret Campus. She shared that CoP helped her to be a mediator and to solve issues in her class and university at large. She added that learning the importance of the inner peace within herself gave her peace with her fellow students. She still remembers that peace starts with oneself.
‘I have been sharing the message of peace with different women in Nandi Hills, Kisii and Eldama Ravine,’ commented Gladys. A woman from Nandi Hills recently called and thanked me for sharing the CoP message with her. To her this is like the pillars of the nation. She also felt that there is a need for them to be creators of peace in the community and in family.
Florence, who was awarded as a Giraffe Hero (a project to award Kenyan’s and non Kenyan’s who serve their communities selflessly in addressing different issues) in 2014 said that reflection has been of great importance in her life. ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we had when we created them,’ she said. Reflection has helped her solve problems within her and gain more wisdom on how to handle people within the community. She also said that praying and having a moment of silence after the prayer in the morning for the family, church, community and also the country at large, has helped her seek for direction and correction in her daily life.
‘Creators of Peace is an everyday moulding tool that is making my life with people simple and better,’ shared Irene. She says that she was a very short tempered person who would get angry with everybody. She is grateful that she met CoP. Her turning point was the session on what creates and what destroys peace because she learnt that anger destroys peace. She is managing her anger and so far she has reconciled with some of her friends.
Peace is a process and is not constant, Leah agrees with this concept. ‘Peace starts with me. I am working hard to maintain my inner peace by being a good listener. My ears will never get me in trouble,’ she expressed. She shared that it is difficult at times to be a good role model in the community because of human nature.'I want to try my best to continue practising some of the qualities of a peace creator so that I can leave a legacy in my community and family and maintain the peace within me,' she concluded.
It was a symbolic end to our follow-up meeting when the women recited the pledge and lit candles all together as a way to recommit themselves to be peace creators.
By Mediatrix Masava and Rachel Wamalwa
Photos: by Sam Mwaura