Success Stories April 2009 – August 2009

A baseline survey on the causes of violence and level of violence in 15 schools was conducted
Over 500 hundred students, teachers and administrators participated in the survey
Focused groups discussion with over 300 hundred students, and administrators were held
The data was analyzed and priorities were reviewed and discussed with individual schools involved
Vacation Peace Education Schools was introduced for both students and staffs
Over 400 grade school and university students, community leaders, and teaching staffs, benefited from a six-week intensive training in Peer Mediation, Conflict Resolution, and Job Skills Development
20 Peer Mediation Networking Group established in forty Communities to promote the Culture of Peace
Center for Peace Education is currently teaching Peace Education as subject in various schools located on Bushrod Island – Montserrado County for the first time in Liberian history.

Back In Washington, DC; USA

For the first time in Liberia’s history, peace education is being taught as a subject in various schools across the Bushrod Island community in Montroserrado County by educators (picture above) who completed a six-week intensive training program in peer mediation, conflict resolution, and job skills development.

In order to raise funds to help continue this work, particularly to compensate the existing teachers, I am preparing an exhibit that demonstrates the students’ work. It will include:
* visual and written artistic expressions of the war, conflict, and symbols of peace (e.g., shell casings that have been transformed into artwork), and
* a short discussion on the results of the survey taken in post-conflict reconstruction to assess the causes of conflict on campus, which range from sex for grades to tribal intolerance.

While I am in the US over the next month, it would be my pleasure to meet with students, churches, mosques, community organizations; etc... and discuss how one aspect of conflict resolution methodologies at the local level is an important part of reconciliation and peacebuilding during post-conflict reconstruction.