What We Are Doing:

• Class of 2009 alumnus Hermenegildo (Gil) Mulhovo of Mozambique manages Dialogue and Knowledge Networks as a Development Officer for the Foundation for Community Development in Mozambique. This national program facilitates cross-community learning. Concerned with the anger and bitterness that characterized his home community of Mafalala, one of the most dangerous suburbs in all of Mozambique, he focused his research on how to transform conflict into peace. He identified three key successes that held this transformative power in Mafalala: art, culture, and sports. These three aspects of community-building can be wielded to engage marginalized communities—and most importantly, youth—in constructive ways. These efforts also included engaging youth to participate in a leadership academic and to refurbish an abandoned house for use as a community center.
• Class of 2015 alumnus Jonathan Nshing (of Cameroon) engaged the youth of Cameroon in peacebuilding awareness while working as the Executive Director for the Cameroon Youth Partnership. He was awarded a Davis Project for Peace in order to implement his proposed awareness campaign in the summer of 2015, which granted him $10,000 in funding for the project. In his winning proposal, Nshing stated: “Young People in Cameroon comprise 60% of the population, and we need to engage them in peacebuilding initiatives. My project aims to increase youth awareness on the values of peace, We will hold peacebuilding workshops covering topics such as conflict resolution and peacebuilding, religious fundamentalism and civic education; create songs for peace as well as a network of peace clubs, negotiations; and distribute peacebuilding tshirts, baseball caps, and banners.”
• Class of 2013 alumnus Louiino Robillard of Haiti created a long-standing campaign, Konbit Solèy Leve, to promote peace in his community. “Konbit” is a practice of collective work shared between a group of individuals for one purpose, such as agricultural work (where the Creole term has its roots), fundraising, social activism, & more. Robillard poured all of his energy and money into creating the Cite Soleil Peace Awards, in Cite Soleil, one of the most violent and dangerous urban areas of Haiti. Every year, the community comes together to recognize youth leaders who are advocating for peace through their art, service, and other actions. Robillard works in many other avenues to promote holistic social change in Haiti, often traveling throughout the country to work with other communities on starting their own initiatives based on the successes he helped grow in Cite Soleil.