AFRICAN GREAT LAKES — “I am proud to be a member of Abishyizehamwe Saving Group, created by the Transformational Leadership Center. As a young person, I have learned that saving and accessing loans are very important in helping me achieve my dream of developing my farming business. Today, I am using my share-out money to buy agricultural inputs for this farming season.”

ASIA WEST PACIFIC — I find it meaningful for us as a community to gather together and share stories of nonviolence. The community gatherings that we had were a reminder for me to see my own and other people’s strengths and gifts, and I realized that we all somehow have the same hope for our community for the future. I felt encouraged as I prepared and gathered the people in my community, and when we also welcomed friends from outside the island.

ASIA WEST PACIFIC — My one-year journey mentoring with Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute’s Grassroots Peacebuilding Mentoring Program has been a positive, reflective, and creative journey for me as I have been able to listen to myself and others more deeply and intently and to connect with people around me with enthusiasm and empathy. Me and my mentee, Aki, had a chance to be in the program for one year to create and implement a mentor-mentee plan and also to identify aspects that we want to learn more on. As a mentor, I learned to articulate and express clearly and precisely my ideas and thoughts through writing, arts, and connecting with others.