Peace Builders to Study in Rwanda

Studying Peace in Rwanda

Rwanda. 25 years ago, nearly one million people were killed in a horrific genocide that lasted 100 days. How do people, communities, and a nation recover from such incredible trauma? Our team spent two weeks in Rwanda this summer exploring answers.

Hi! We're Micah and Jaylan, two of seven 2019 Peace Builders. Each of us represent a neighborhood and community organization from Chicago's West and South Sides. We're part of a yearlong leadership program developed by the Peace Exchange to prepare us to be role models, mentors, leaders, and peacemakers.             

Our peace mission kicked off in January. We've been hitting it hard, participating in more than 80 hours of Trauma training by UCAN's Jacob Dancertraining on topics ranging from the Holocaust, teen dating violence,  and bullying to peace circles, compassion, and conflict resolution.  One of the highlights was a two-hour session on administering emergency first aid to victims of gunshots.

In the summer of 2019, we traveled to Rwanda for two weeks to continue our studies with community organizers, peace activists, and student leaders.  Our days were filled with visits to Training at the Kigali Peace Schoolgenocide memorials, conversations with survivors and génocidaires (the perpetrators), peace classes at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, meetings with Rwandan youth leaders, two-night home stays, a safari, and attendance at the national July 4th Liberation Day commemoration.

Like Peace Builders who've traveled to Thailand, Myanmar, Nicaragua, South Africa, and India, we were accompanied by documentary With children from MindLeaps, Kigali, July 6, 2019filmmakers from Free Spirit Media, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to providing opportunities to emerging creators.

For some of us, this was our first time on a plane, or our first trip outside the United States.  We were accompanied by Carl Wilkens, the lone American who chose to stay in Rwanda after the genocide began. We're very grateful for this unique opportunity!

Our most important work begins when we return to Chicago as full-fledged peacemakers. Beginning in August 2019, we’ll share what we’ve learned, along with a documentary of our trip to Rwanda, with more than 1,000 children from our neighborhoods. We know from earlier cohorts of Peace Builders that they'll  benefit from both our lessons on peaceful practices and being taught by youth leaders from their communities. 2019 Peace Builder Emmanuel Allison speaking with North Lawndale students

Your donation to our fundraiser helped to pay for our airfare plus lodging, meals, and ground transportation while we were in Rwanda. Trust us, we traveled very modestly and took advantage of homestays and communal meals whenever possible. Most importantly, your investment will help us change the narrative about Chicago: PEACE IS POSSIBLE!

Thank you!  Emmanuel, Alexis, Cristo, Roneisha, Patricia, Jaylan, and Micah #LeadersofNow

Our team, Day One, January 19, 2019

The 2019 Peace Builders are sponsored by Breakthrough Urban Ministries, Chicago Hope Academy, Free Spirit Media, Josephinum Academy, UCAN, Holy Family Ministries, and the Peace on Earth Film Festival. 

The Peace Exchange | www.peacex.org         

A program of Holy Family Ministries