Empowering Communities Through Peace Programmes

Since 2016, the people of the North West and South West regions have been locked in a conflict, which morphed into armed conflicts that continue to claim the lives of thousands of people. The communities of these parts of Cameroon continue to be unsafe for inhabitants. For four years now, the armed crisis still lingers on. While the population live in fear and trauma, killings and burning of villages and property of individuals are still on – thereby producing more challenges for the local population.Seemingly, efforts made so far to cause the end of this situation are not yielding the desired results. The civil society has made moves, the international nongovernmental organizations have issued several reports and statements calling for cease-fire, and several actors have weighed in their voices but the crisis rages on. While the government keeps struggling, what seems to be the only hope left is the Church. All hopes are now on the Church to help bring the situation to a peaceful end.

Since pastors are still respected as the moral authorities within the North West and South West regions, they are in the positions of talking to the warring belligerents, preach to their community and transform lives for peace. This hope on the Church has inspired the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC through its Peace Work Unit to design a programme known as Peace and Conflict Transformation Workshop for Pastors with theme “Preachers For Peace”. To achieve this, the PCC Peace Office carefully organizes Peace and Conflict Transformation Workshops to train PCC pastors at Presbytery levels.

Goal: To increase the capacity and awareness of pastors in Peace building, Conflict Transformation and Mediation.

Objectives

• To build skills in nonviolent actions and nonviolent communication;
• To empower Church leaders with conflict analysis tools/skills in conflict management; and
• To transform lives for peace through preaching, counseling and meetings.

TOTs is Training of Trainers. It is an international standard training workshop on Peace and Conflict Transformation, which runs for two weeks bi-annually. This programme seeks to train and engage leaders in peace and conflict transformation activities in communities and imbibe nonviolent attitudes and skills. Participants are selected from all religious, cultural, regions and official Language background in Cameroon. We also pay specific attention to PWDs inclusion and international participation. This background mix enhances the objectives of living together, tolerance, understandings, discoveries and social cohesion that break prejudices and stereotypes. We have trained over 100 participants from different religions, civil society organizations, Community Based Organizations and the Media who are now members of the Cameroon Peace-builders’ Union (PBU) with goal to promote peace and social cohesion in Cameroon.

Goal : To train Trainers of Peace and Conflict Transformation who are able to pass on the knowledge and skills acquired through their own organized activities.

Objectives

• Participants are able to have in-depth knowledge on Conflict Transformation, Peace, Nonviolence, Violence and Communication through theory and practice;
• Participants are able to use different methods and methodology to effectively apply, communicate ant transform communities to a culture of peace; and
• Participants are able to apply experiential learning and brain centred principles for design and delivery of training;

We also understand that the Media has an invaluable role in either fostering peace or promoting divide and hate through its broadcast/published content. This explains why PCC Peace Work came up with a project to promote the ideals of Peace Journalism. This project successfully brought media house across 8 regions of Cameroon, created, legalized and organized the members into the Cameroon Community Media Network (CCMN) with primary focus to promote and sustain Peace Journalism in the country. The project offered several capacity building workshops for beneficiary media houses (through their journalists represented) and continue to fund network meetings. This has inspired many journalists to embrace and the Peace Journalism approach in their works. It is our hope that Peace Journalism impacts the communities and strengthen social cohesion.

The killings and destruction caused by the Anglophone crisis rendered many people scared, homeless and jobless. Many of these people out of fear and threats, moved from their home communities to new areas in search of accommodation, jobs and safety. This situation gave birth to a new status known as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). As a response, the PCC Peace Work Office developed a project known as IDPs for the Radio. This project had as objective to build resilience, offer psycho-social and support assistance to most vulnerable IDPs in North West and South West regions. To achieve this, the project was designed in 3 broad parts : a) Research, identification, selection and registration of most vulnerable IDPs; b) Psycho social support Workshop, counseling, needs assessment of IDPs and Financial/material support per needs; c) Experience sharing, interviews, radio programme production and broadcast for encouragement and resilience for other IDPs. This project was a success and it inspire many other IDPs to learn through the radio programmes. This project equally enlightened host communities to be open and accommodating to IDPs. We measured the impact level by the number of feedback calls and visits to office by other IDPs who listen to the radio programmes and requested we continue with the activities.

Conscious of the fact that the radio has and commands good followings, The PCC Peace Work Office conceived and currently produces and runs a Radio Peace Programme on CBS Buea FM 95.3 and CBS Bamenda FM 101.0 titled, Eyole – the wing of Peace. We produce and broadcast contents that enhances social cohesion. The programme offers exchange opportunities between the anchor and the audience through phone calls and SMS. Each edition provides opportunities for listeners to win prizes by answering the Eyole Quiz. The impact of this programme cause an increase in listeners and followers and many have testified on the show that they have named their children after the programme ‘Eyole’ as way of promoting peace.increase in listeners and followers and many have testified on the show that they have named their children after the programme ‘Eyole’ as way of promoting peace.

The PCC Peace Award is an initiative by the PCC Peace Office through its Peace and Conflict Transformation Training of Trainers (ToTs) Programme’s Alumni and the Cameroon Peace Builders’ Union (PBU).

The objective of the Peace Award is to inspire and promote peace work and social cohesion by recognising, awarding and celebrating best practices and contributions made by youth, men and women in peace works in Cameroon.

Each year since 2019, nominations are done by members of our ToTs Alumni and PBU (these members are all trainers in Peace and Conflict Transformation, community peace leaders and are familiar with the ideals of peace). A jury of 6 members with independent minds and proven integrity is set up after the nomination process to scrutinise and select possible laureates for the various categories: Youth, Women and Men.

The first edition in 2019 had just the male category: Peace Man of the Year. The success of the event plus excitement and support generated by the premier, inspired some innovations that brought in the Peace Youth of the Year and Peace Women of the Year categories.

The winner of the 2019 edition was the Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, Moderator of the PCC, President of the Council of Protestant Churches in Cameroon, President of the Cameroon Inter-Religious Dialogue. While the 2020 edition had three winners. Peace Man of the Year: Late Christian Cardinal Tumi of the Raman Catholic Church, Peace Woman of the Year: Mme Njomo Esther Omam of the Civil Society and Peace Youth of the Year: Mr. Atigi Samuel Motom, a Community Leader and Volunteer. The 2021 edition was organised on the International Day of Peace, Tuesday September 21, 2021 in same venue, PCC Synod Office, Buea with winners: Peace Man of the Year, Mr Fandio Makarios, Peace Woman of the Year, Mme Ada Mbah and Peace Youth of the Year, Mr. Achaleke Christian Leke. The PCC Peace Award is a major activity that rallies Peace actors, promoters, enthusiasts and supporters of peace to mark the International Day    of Peace Celebrations in Cameroon.

Your involvement can make a world of difference. Whether you choose to volunteer, donate, or participate in our programs, every action contributes to fostering a more peaceful community. Together, we can create lasting change and promote peace, one step at a time.