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.

Many lives were touched by the CiP programme, not just the direct beneficiaries but also their parents, the community and mentors, who gained valuable experience. (A follow-up Creators of Peace circle is being prepared for some of the parents) and on the last day of the camp, the participants put together an action plan which included giving back to the community (collecting clothes for deprived families, visiting elders and fundraising for an orphanage) and promoting CiP to other young people. An inspired and committed network of youth that aspire to make a positive change to their behaviours, relationships and communities now exists.

The Gweru Creators of Peace facilitators, Angie Katito and Adelaide Mhunduru held a Creators Peace Circle (CoP) with a difference. In attendance were five ladies and two men and an official from the Social Welfare Department. This was the first time in Zimbabwe that the team had included men.

Creators of Peace Circles in Kadogoi village took place on 12-14 July, bringing together 20 women. One of them, Esther, was blessed with a baby girl on the eve of the third day. This was heralded joyfully by participants as a blessing brought by Creators of Peace. Earlier Esther had shared things that were disturbing her a lot. She and her sister don’t see eye to eye and she said that this had resulted in their husbands prompting some of their family members to form cliques. She had tried to reconcile everyone without success. She looked forward to the last day of the workshop, hoping to get a lasting solution to her problem but in the meantime, she was enjoying her little bundle of joy.

Mike Muikia, who met IofC 10 years ago, has started an online weekly reality TV show 'State of Society', where he interviews very ordinary people who are doing amazing work and changing lives. Joe Karanja, an active Initiatives of Change (IofC) member and lawyer from Kenya, shares his story in the following episode, explaining his involvement in IofC and the impact he's created.

The second NE dialogue The Future We Want took place November 11th to the 14th of 2016 in the Siloam region near Shillong, Meghalaya. The dialogue brought together participants from Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Maharashtra, and Kerala. They all collaborated, discussed, and proposed ways in which they could strive for a brighter tomorrow.

What happens when 85 people from 16 different countries, 4 different continents, various backgrounds and all age groups come together to take time and reflect on change and its impact on their lives? This year’s edition of the Winter Gathering in Caux offered presentations, discussion groups, daily art projects, music, times of quiet and moments of fun while glorious sunshine provided the perfect setting for breath-taking views on Lake Geneva.

A 16-page report on the Caux conference on Just Governance for Human Security, held in July 2016, is now available. The conference brought together 230 people from 52 countries who are working to advance human security in their region.

Portia Mosia from South Africa survived a traumatic rape to emerge as a healer and leader for Creators of Peace.