Responding to Deadly Conflicts in Western Kenya

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a threat to the health of many, a lot of people have lost their beloved once in the last one year moreover the pandemic had other consequences that included curfew, lockdowns, travel restrictions, loss of jobs and school closure. In this situation   violence has been triggered easily in families, a father in Kaptama village of Mt Elgon assaulted his son to death for stealing ten shillings that was meant to buy paraffin, and mother in chepyuk village gave birth and throw her child in a pit latrine, the children was saved by the community members and woman is on the run, Erustas  our conduct in Mt Elgon is currently hosting the eleven-month baby. This and many other scenarios shows how people are frustrated and easily getting into violence that may eventually lead to trauma.

          Participants are always helped to create and learn cultures of peace through seeking alternative ways to violence, understanding what is violence through the tree of violence, which reminds participants on things that will erupt violence. Brainstorming the tree of non-violence show all the possibility of learning how good roots give birth to good fruits of nonviolence and for this to work one will need transforming power discernment when confronted in a violent way. In three days’ facilitators help participants to understand the five elements of transforming power of Caring for others especially during this difficult times of Covid-19 pandemic, respect for self and others, think before reacting, asking for a non-violent solutions and expecting the best. All this will help participants for learn how to affirm self and others, good communication which will help in cooperation and in case there is a problem, they will find out creative non-violent ways of solving which include use of I messages, problem solving using broken squares and role plays.

AVP program has helped deescalate violence among young people in Mt. Elgon, the training has played a key role in reducing direct violence in schools and community, we hope to continue to use the AVP tools in preparedness of our general elections are schedule for next year.

“The tree of violence was in me, I couldn’t think twice, and small misunderstanding will trigger me in a fight with siblings including my parents, I have had problems controlling my anger, learning about transforming power I feel am now able to control my anger and have the ability to judge well without getting in a fight” participants

“I wish to thanks the organization that has brought this training, the training is going to help all of us and especially my administration which be handling lots of cases of violence, if we allow transforming power to work in us, then this tree of nonviolence will grow in all of Mt. Elgon” area administrator

“Elections are coming next year youth you should not be used by politicians to peddle violence and cause mayhem, use this basic knowledge of non-violence to preach peace, make roleplays of peace in school and churches, practice I message at home to save this mountain from political violence” AVP facilitator

“The training was very educative and fun” participants