Makerere equips international scholars with conflict-prevention skills

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With the increasing conflicts in communities today, Makerere University has trained over twenty peace scholars from different African countries and beyond in promoting and embracing peace for national development.

Under the Rotary Peace Fellowship, leaders and development practitioners from eleven countries received knowledge and skills in peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and development.

The peace fellows came from Nigeria, Lesotho, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Liberia, Cameroon, Siera Leon, Cameroon, and Uganda.

Anne Nkutu, the district Governor 9213, Mike Kennedy Sebalu, Past District Governor 9213 decorate cohort VIII peace fellows during the 6th Capstone Conference for the Rotary International Peace fellows held at Makerere University School of Public Health. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

Speaking on behalf of the management of Makerere University Rotary Peace Center, Samson Barigye, the deputy director of the Center, said, the one-year programme focuses on equipping professionals with a new skill set for community development.

“The fellowship starts with two weeks online academic programme, and ten weeks on-site course with field studies. After completing ten weeks which are class and field-based, fellows return to their home countries to implement their social change initiative,” disclosed Barigye.

Besides addressing challenges related to peace in different regions, Barigye revealed that fellows also focus on trauma-informed peace-building, and alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms such as mediation, negotiation, and dialogue among others.

He made the remarks during the 6th Capstone Conference for the Rotary International Peace fellows held at Makerere University School of Public Health on Friday.

During the conference, Cohort VI Rotary peace fellows presented their social change initiatives, tackling critical challenges facing communities across eleven African Countries, including climate action, women empowerment, youth engagement, and social inclusion.

Selection criteria

Speaking on behalf of the committee on Academics, Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo, the professor for Women and Gender Studies at MAK, said, the selection of fellows is based on the relevance of the project, its practical ability, and the target groups.

Cohort VI peace fellows waiting to present their social change initiative during the 6th Capstone Conference for the Rotary International Peace fellows held at Makerere University School of Public Health on 18th October 2024. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

Since the Center receives thousands of applications every intake, Kyomuhendo stated: “Based on our criteria, we select about 20 fellows who we think have unique projects that can change communities. We look for innovative projects, not necessarily war projects. For instance, the project can focus on trauma in war-torn communities to reduce hate and promote peace.”

Since many selected fellows have projects that promote peace and harmony and build communities' capacities to live together, Kyomuhendo said there is a future for humanity.

Every year, Rotary awards about 130 fully funded scholarships to dedicated leaders around the World to study at one of their Peace Centers.

Welcoming Cohort VIII peace fellows, Anne Nkutu, the district Governor 9213, said, many times they are asked what they are doing in Peace.

“People look for peacebuilders when we are having big conflicts erupting. for example, in the conflict in the Middle East, Gaza, people are asking what are doing about it. Since conflict is multidimensional, focus on small things to prevent the bigger conflicts.” Nkutu advised scholars.

Beneficiary

During the presentation, Alfred Mukenzi, a peace fellow said, his social change initiative focused on shared parenting. Noting that there are always conflicts between inmates and the challenges that come with looking after a baby in a confined space.

Precious Osemwonta, a peace fellow from Nigeria, Mike Kennedy Sebalu, Past District Governor 9213, Anne Nkutu, the district Governor 9213 pose for a photo with peace fellows during the 6th Capstone Conference for the Rotary International Peace fellows held at Makerere University. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

Mukenzi, said, “My initiative focused on the transition from a model that is based in prison to the model that is central in the district where children can live and can also go back and visit their mothers in prisons, and we keep co-parenting.”

Mukenzi has been working with prisons in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda, and he discovered that one common hiccup among inmates was the plight of children.

Rotary International President Visit

Meanwhile, Stephanie Urchick, the president of Rotary International will visit Uganda in three months, according to Mike Kennedy Sebalu, the Past District Governor 9213.

“It is because of the activities of the peace centre and the impacts it has been able to create that has always attracted Rotary International Presidents to visit, and come January, Urchick is going to visit Uganda,” said Sebalu.

During her stay, Sebalu, said, they will organise a peace walk and peace symposium where she will be a keynote speaker. Besides that, Rotarians will also host a fundraising event whose proceeds will support Makerere Peace Centre.