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Warriors to Peace Guardians!

Help Mediators Beyond Borders and their local partners develop a sustained peacekeeping community in Kenya. Pastoralists--nomadic herders--want to put an end to the lethal revenge cycles that perpetuate violence in a country with diminishing water and pasture resources. To support the efforts of former warriors who now plan to teach warriors in neighboring communities the value of collaboration in a transition to a role as Peace Guardians, this trip will seek out the help of local powerful women to create peace as a community--because peace is for everyone.

Mediators Beyond Borders is a global organization whose multidisciplinary volunteers develop local skills for peace. Kenyan pastoralists--nomadic livestock herders--approached MBB to help create an infrastructure of peace to resolve tribal violence stemming from conflict over scarce resources. The Warriors to Peace Guardians Initiative expands the network of local peace guardians through training and economic development for a sustainable, positive peace.

Increasingly frequent droughts and harsh conditions make keeping the herds alive a daily struggle. Coupled with an increase in weapons availability and lethal local traditions, ethnic communities are pitted against each other in an effort to survive. MBBss Kenya Initiative is working with the Kenya Pastoralist Network (KPN) to generate alternate solutions to the violent cattle rustling and revenge cycles. Based on past successful pastoralist peacebuilding that is eroding due to lack of support and resources, KPN is the driving force behind strengthening and expanding a peace guardian cadre, but faces significant barriers to accessing resources and adequate training. MBB is working with KPN and recruiting other local partners to pull down those barriers.

Frequent trips to Kenya are necessary to train and mentor new local trainers and keep the momentum going for this completely volunteer initiative. Until the peace infrastructure is in place and maintained with a steady source of revenue, our volunteers must continue to take time away from their jobs and to continue to self-fund expensive transportation to meet with the communities in the remote bush.

Our next trip will require our volunteers to travel into the remote bush to speak with a respected matriarch in the Laikipia North community, known as Mama Amani (Mother Peace). Her input is vital to understanding what can and must be done to support the women of the community, because to achieve a sustained peace, all members of the community must be involved, not just elders and warriors.

We ask that you help the pastoralists achieve a sustained peace guardian network throughout Kenya's pastoralist lands. This network will serve as a model for other African countries and continue to help break the cycle of violence between pastoralists.

Please help us get to Mama Amani and other key local peacebuilders on this last leg of our journey.

"Amani Milele!" (The local mantra --peace forever!)

Item Special Note

In return for your $50.00 donation, you will receive a Thank You Card, a Project Update upon completion, and a Charitable Receipt for tax purposes.