In the heart of Nigeria’s Taraba State, The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation stands as a beacon of hope, driving grassroots peacebuilding efforts in the conflict-affected communities of Wukari, Takum, and Ussa Local Government Areas (LGAs) in digging out home-grown solutions. Through Project Zamanlafiya Taraba, funded by the British Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), through the British High Commission in Abuja. Together, we engage in collaborative actions designed in empowering communities to cross-pollinate home grown ideas, heal, prepare, and respond to crises with resilience.
Empowering Leaders, Transforming Communities
Under this initiative, we just conducted intensive Train the Trainers (ToT) Workshops focused on:
– Trauma Healing (70 Participants across 3 LGAs): Addressing psychological wounds from prolonged conflicts.
– Early Warning Systems (156 Participants across 3 LGAs): Identifying and mitigating crisis signals before they escalate.
– Early Response Strategies: Equipping leaders with tools to act swiftly and decisively.
– Early Presence Support: It’s not enough to react to crises; peacebuilders must be consistently present in, building relationships, fostering trust, and addressing underlying grievances that fuel conflict in the first place.
Seventy local leaders—representing diverse religious, cultural, and community groups – were equipped to train others, creating a ripple effect of knowledge and skills. These leaders are now catalysts for sustainable peace, fostering dialogue and action in their communities including Football for Peace initiative.
Beyond Training: Stories of Healing and Hope
The impact of these sessions transcends skills transfer. For many participants, the workshops became a lifeline, offering a safe space to confront unspoken trauma. Personal testimonies revealed heartbreaking realities:
“I never realized how much pain I carried until this training gave me words to express it.”
“Now I can help others heal, [and] not just survive.”
These stories underscore one critical truth: lasting peace begins with inner-healing. By addressing trauma and building trust, we are nurturing a culture of empathy, understanding, and proactive crisis transformation.
Join Us in Building a Resilient Future
At The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, we are not just teaching skills. We are sowing seeds of conflict transformation. You can amplify this impact by:
– Supporting community-led peace initiatives.
– Sharing these stories to raise awareness in influence positive attitudinal change.
– Advocating for inclusive, trauma-informed approaches to conflictual situations.
Together, let’s ensure no community is left behind in the journey toward a peaceful, resilient and reconciled Taraba State.