ANPPCAN-SOM’s Fourth Community Outreach in Baidoa

By ANPPCANSOM 

On 5 August 2024, a village in Baidoa called Bullo Jay witnessed the dedication of 30 people—18 women and 12 men—united by a vision to strengthen the fabric of their community through peace. ANPPCAN-SOM organized this fourth session of our community outreach awareness meeting regarding the very important roles and functions of peace committees.

Empowerment and Unity Day

This was not a session as if it were a different meeting, but one full of hope, resilience, and collective desire for a brighter future. Many of those present participants had faced the challenges of conflict themselves and opened their hearts and minds to learn, share, and grow with one another. The objective of this training was set—to increase the capacity of existing peace committees by equipping them with tools necessary to foster conflict resolution, reconciliation, and reintegration processes within their communities.

Why This Matters

There wasn’t a single person there who walked around without stories to tell on their own about strife and survival. They witnessed pain that conflict can do to human beings—not only to the people but to entire communities. Simultaneously, they also experienced the power of peace: how it heals wounds, mends relationships, and reopens the possibility of hope. That session was for harnessing that power, channeling it into acts that turn change into tangible reality.

Heart of the Session

Throughout the day, participants shared deep into their roles as members of peace committees: how to improve their strategies on conflict resolution, enhance support of reconciliation efforts, and the reintegration of those marginalized. More than that, they bonded on a human level by sharing in the experiences, drawing strength from one another’s resolution.

This was particularly powerful with the presence of 18 women in this session. Women are, most of the time, the backbones of their communities; therefore, the engagement of women in peacebuilding efforts is very central. Their voices, perspectives, and leadership are important in cracking a solution that works for everyone.

Looking Forward with Hope

The unity in the room was almost palpable as the day drew to a close. These 30 participants left not just with new knowledge but with refreshed vows to their community and to each other. They went out as stronger and more able peacebuilders, ready to meet whatever is ahead in the challenges of their time with courage and compassion.

At ANPPCAN-SOM, we believe in the power of communities making their own ways to peace. This session right here in Baidoa-Bullo Jay is a testament to that belief. We believe in empowering local peace committees to build a future devoid of conflict so that it gives way to reconciliation and division gives way to unity.

We would like to thank each of the participants who participated in this session. Your acts of commitment are priceless toward the cause of peace. Indeed, together we can bring a lasting peaceful world to everybody.