Joseph Karanja has never forgotten the poor and dispossessed in his home area of Eldoret, which in 2007 was the epicentre for inter-tribal violence following presidential and parliamentary elections. Under Joseph’s initiative, solar lights were trialled in Munyaka, a very poor part of Eldoret. Solar lights have been one of the tools used to help transform this community. Remarkable progress has been made in addressing the need for education, employment and income generation, but most significantly this would not have been possible without a strategy to create peace and reconciliation within the community.

‘Peace Begins with us’ said Mrs Goretti Bukombi, the Chairperson of Creators of Peace (CoP), Uganda in her opening remarks at the workshop in Kampala in November 2013.

The African Coordination Group (ACG) wishes to inform you and ask your prayers for a consultation of Initiatives of Change (IofC) bodies in Africa from 5 to 10 March 2014 at Bonita Youth Development Centre – Debre Zeit in Ethiopia.

The planning team for the upcoming Eastern Africa Youth Forum has announced the close of applications for the forum due in Feb 17-24, 2013 in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Joseph Wainaina fled from Eldoret in 1992, when his house was burnt to the ground in ethnic clashes. Some years later, whilst researching where to buy weapons to take revenge, a friend challenged him with the line 'forgive those who sin against us'. Wainaina was overcome by a spirit of forgiveness. Since then he has been working with Initiatives of Change for reconciliation between Kenya's different ethnic groups.

Initiatives of Change African Great Lakes project continues with its peace and good governance programme in the African Great Lakes region, seeking to promote an inclusive dialogue between all political groups and to promote a peaceful electoral process leading up to the 2015 elections.

Sam Pono from South Africa writes a farewell to Nelson Mandela, whose quality of life makes us believe that 'yes we can'.

12 December 2013 marks 50 years of Kenyan independence. People came to Nairobi from the desert reaches bordering Somalia, the port city of Mombasa, the drylands of Baringo and the political hotbed of Eldoret. The All Africa Conference of Churches provided the venue without charge. The theme of the gathering was ‘The dynamics of peace and reconciliation in Kenya’. It was facilitated by internationally acclaimed peacemakers from Nigeria, Imam Dr Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor Dr James Wuye.

At his treason trial 50 years ago Nelson Mandela told the court, ‘During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an idea which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.’

The Governor of South Kivu DR Congo came to speak and bring to a close the International Farmers’ Dialogue in Bukavu 18 - 21 November.