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.

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.

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

In a press release by the German Africa Foundation, the 'German Africa Award' for 2013 has been awarded to Imam Dr Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor Dr James Wuye from Kaduna, northern Nigeria, who feature in the Initiatives of film The Imam and the Pastor. The award ceremony will take place on 12 December 2013 in Berlin.

Creators of Peace was introduced for the first time in Nigeria in mid September. Two Peace Circles were facilitated in Lagos State by Portia Mosia, an international co-ordinator of Creators of Peace, and Jackie Euvrard. They were invited by the board of MRA/Initiatives of Change Nigeria, co-ordinated by Benedicta Ngozi Opara.

Creators of Peace have continued to spread and transform women and their families and friends in Kenya. In the months of June and July three workshops were facilitated and 50 women and seven men had the opportunity to go the through the ‘simple but transformative’ Creators of Peace Circles process. Every workshop runs for three full days.

A letter of condolence for the attack on the shopping mall in Nairobi was sent yesterday to the President of Kenya by Somali Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy, a partner organisation of IofC-UK. The letter was signed by Osman Jama Ali, former Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia and Ambassador Mohamed Sharif Mohamud, former Somali and Arab League ambassador, Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.

IofC South Sudan brought together young people from all 10 states and the capital, Juba, to build on the Peace Mobilisation training that was done by IofC trainers and Workshop for Africa for 200 participants from across the country during March and April this year. It was a happy reunion among the participants and facilitators, who took time to share what they have been doing since their last encounter. The participants were lodged at the White Nile Lodge in Juba where the training was taking place.

At the international conference centre in Caux, Switzerland, Mathilde Kayitesi, Executive Secretary of Umuhuza, a local NGO and board member IofC Great Lakes Initiative, met with Nombulelo Khanyile (South African) and Amina Dikedi-Ajakaiye (Nigerian) to discuss some thoughts she had about Rwanda, and how the African Co-ordination Group (ACG) could assist with the work they were doing with women and the youth. Little did they know that in less than two months they would be in Rwanda.