Asia Plateau, the Initiatives of Change (IofC) international conference centre in Panchgani, India will be 50 years on 20 January 2018. Fifty people are invited to give ‘a year of selfless service’ to reach out in five intergenerational teams, to many corners of India - and beyond. Teams of convinced, and convincing people who help 5000 people put at least one thing right in 2018 to serve society better!

Initiatives of Change (IofC)/Moral Re-Armament (MRA) Zimbabwe recently held its first national youth conference in Gweru on 1-5 February with the aim to mobilize and empower young people, and ‘move from a group to a team’. Young people came together to learn more deeply about Initiatives of Change, to build their skills, and to strengthen friendships with the intention of working together for a just, peaceful and sustainable Zimbabwe. The conference was created and delivered by youth for youth.

The CAUX-IofC Foundation is sorry to announce the passing of Pierre Spoerri, one of its former council members, in Zurich, on 22 February 2017.

This report on the work of Creators of Peace in Zimbabwe has been complied by Talia Smith, UK, who accompanied the CoP team on the ground in February this year. Photos by Adelaide Mhunduru.

In Zimbabwe there are scare opportunities for young people after secondary and even tertiary education and 40% of the Zimbabwean diaspora around the world are youth. There is a great need to nurture and help develop the potential that is in these millions of young people which IofC/MRA (Initiatives of Change/Moral Re-Armament) Zimbabwe has taken on. Started with a day long training for 25 prefects and five teachers from Tongogara, a government-run high school in the rural areas of Shurugwi. Gweru.

Dont miss the opportunity to join one of the Caux Forum events this summer and take advantage of the Early Bird special! Participants who register before 31 March 2017 will receive a discount of 10% on Forum packages.

Victor Nyanhete, IofC/MRA Zimbabwe youth programme coordinator completed an internship at Asia Plateau, IofC India’s centre in 2015. Just down the hill from the conference buildings in Panchgani is Grampari, the rural and ecological centre. As part of his training at Grampari, Victor was introduced to the Tippy Tap. Grampari promote this simple device, along with a cheerful hand-washing song, in schools around the area, as part of their health and hygiene programme. Victor knew this was an idea that was needed in his home country, Zimbabwe.

Seventeen young people participated in an Initiatives of Change camp that took place in the idyllic town of Heidelberg in the Gauteng Province of South Africa from 5 to 10 December. The theme of this fourth annual IofC camp was ‘Change in Progress’ and sought to inspire a committed network of youth to make positive changes in their behaviours, relationships, and communities.

Creators of Peace had yet another thrilling experience sharing with the women of Baringo County. This took place from the 7- 9 September. The training brought together a group of seventeen women who live in Kositei area of Chemlingot, East Pokot. This area like many others in Baringo, has some cultural practices that make it hard for development, especially education. Men still believe that girls are meant for marriage and dowry; hence very few girls are taken to school. Due to this, animal rustling is still practiced to provide the young boys (as well as the old men) with cows and goats to pay their dowry.

Salaban village is It is an area mostly dominated by the Ilchamus community who have suffered displacement due to heavy rains. Within the community a lot of forced marriages are practiced. This has caused a lot of women to live very bitter lives, especially those who had dreams and visions for their lives. With shattered dreams some have had to quit their marriages to start new lives for themselves.