New Child Soldier Recruitment in Middle-East
Sadly, but not unexpectedly, the Islamic State (ISIS) has begun to recruit children as young as 13 to become armed combatants on their behalf. Many sources have reported on this development, including the BBC, with this excellent piece which includes both video and direct interviews with children recently recruited by ISIS.
We will continue to follow this story, as it directly goes to our work in developing child soldier reintegration platforms in both Latin America and Africa. You can learn more about our project work by linking here and here.
A young child soldier trained to fight by the al-Nusra group in Syria. Photo Credit: BBC News
Day in Court for Cholera victims arrives
We have been following this week the proceedings out of New York and the hearing held in U.S. District Court yesterday.
The official press release from our colleagues at IJDH includes this statement from Mario Joseph, making a clear and simple case for victim's rights and why the UN's claim of immunity doesn't stand to reason:
[quote]The UN spends lots of time and money telling our officials and citizens to respect the rule of law. Then it refuses to have the law apply to itself after killing thousands of Haitians. Does the UN think Haitians do not notice the double standard?
- Mario Joseph, human rights attorney[/quote]
For a more complete summary of the arguments heard in the US District Court yesterday, including the testimony of Mario's colleague - attorney Beatrice Lindstrom, follow this link. We will of course continue to cover the proceedings as they happen.
Attorney Beatrice Lindstrom discusses the case against the UN over the cholera epidemic in Haiti. Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images
Victim of the violence in Colombia highlights the Peace Negotiations importance
Timely because of our own recent updates and project work from Colombia, this story from the Miami Herald, personalizes the impact of the half-century old civil conflict and how critical it is that the country succeed in the current peace negotiations.
Central to the story, are the first-hand accounts of victims of the violence and their ongoing optimism and inspiration in seeking peace and forgiveness with the perpetrators of such violence. Sourced for the story is our partner in Bogotá, Fr. Leonel Narváez who has made it his life's work to try and heal his nation by "eradicating the virus of hatred and desire for revenge." Fr. Leonel gives perspective for the challenges to the peace process by citing his own experiences in the work done at the Foundation for Reconciliation, which has provided psychological counseling to more than 600,000 Colombians affected by the conflict. From the Herald piece:
[quote] A victimizer is never going to ask for forgiveness if he's not in a safe environment where he knows that he won't be punished excessively. If the FARC recognize their crimes and ask for forgiveness before the peace process is complete, they may pay too high of a price. But I believe that we'll reach a moment where they will have to ask for forgiveness. Narávez said that in his experience, victims don't need an apology to forgive because forgiveness is an exercise in "personal rebuilding". - GI partner Fr. Leonel Narávez [/quote]
Learning of the personal stories of those who have sacrificed for the peace movement, brings more understanding to why we continue to commit our resources and project work to building successful partnerships for community change, like the ones led by our associate Lissette. If you wish to find out more on how you too can support the work begun by Fr. Leonel and Lissette to bring sustainable peace to Colombia, click here.
Edgar Bermudez, 35, who was blinded in a 2005 attack by Colombia's FARC guerrillas, poses with his two daughters Camila Sofia, 5, and Alisson Juliana, 3, outside his home. The government recognizes 6.7 million victims of the 50-year civil conflict. Photo Credit: JUAN MANUEL BARRERO BUENO/JUAN MANUEL BARRERO BUENO
October 2014 Newsletter
Greetings from the Goldin Institute! We are excited to share this month's newsletter highlighting the work of our global associates who are positively contributing to their communities by stepping up their efforts and stepping out of their safety zones to ensure that their good work moves forward.
Watch a brief video overview of this newsletter:
Colombia
While the peace negotiations continue to break new ground in Colombia, paramilitary-linked groups opposed to the peace process have issued threats against human rights defenders, including our colleague Fr. Leonel Narvaez of our partner organization the Foundation for Reconciliation. In response to the death threats, Fr. Leonel has publicly invited the authors "to sit down and talk." His plea for peace continues:
[quote]It is paradoxical that they threaten you with death because you work for forgiveness and reconciliation ... To those who threaten me, I offer my forgiveness and my understanding ... We forgive because we understand that you are not fully responsible for your mistake, for your rage. Someone, somewhere, has infected you all with their resentment. You are also victims just as we possibly will be."[/quote]
Amidst this backdrop of intimidation, our Global Associate Lissette continues the work of implementing a community-driven approach for child soldier reintegration which continues to grow and gain the respect of local educators, community members and former child soldiers. Despite the contentious atmosphere and threats of violence, Lissette and her colleagues continue their work with compassion in their hearts and resolve in their minds.
We had the chance to catch-up in conversation with Lissette via Skype where she walked us through the current status of these important peace negotiations and explained how they could impact her work and her community. You can view this conversation with Lissette in full here.
Philippines
As a testament to our Global Associate's passion for environmental sustainability in the conflict zone of Mindanao, our own Dr. Susana Anayatin has helped change the world yet again. Augmenting the work to provide safe drinking water to schools, including the implementation of new wells restoring clean water at an additional 15 schools in the Kabuntalan Province this month, the team in the Philippines participated in a national effort to break the world record of trees planted in an hour. On September 26, 2014 Dr. Anayatin was among the 113,000 volunteers including government employees, students and military personnel that broke the invisible, but often contentious boundaries that separate these groups to unite for environmental protection. As Guinness World Records continues to verify the count, officials in the Philippines report 3.2 million seedlings planted in six different areas on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Notwithstanding world records, the planet is in a better position to mitigate climate change and the new trees are essential to protect the watersheds and promote access to safe drinking water for generations to come.
Poverty and Peacemaking
In many parts of the world, poverty and violence are common-place and intertwined realities. To explore and address these issues, the Goldin Institute participated in the Poverty and Peacemaking interdisciplinary conference and gathering at Princeton University on September 19 and 20. The conference was a concerted effort on the part of Princeton University and the community of Sant Egidio to amplify the dialogue between development professionals and students, scholars, government officials, activists, diplomats and religious leaders from around the world. The Goldin Institute was pleased to moderate a panel with participants from the Salvation Army and the World Bank focused on a new initiative to support peace building efforts through community-based heath care centers in Kibera - an informal settlement within Kenya.
Welcome Alejandro
Please join us in welcoming a new member to the Goldin Institute team. Alejandro Di Prizio comes to us as an AmeriCorps member completing a year of service through Public Allies Chicago.
Alejandro will serve as our Online Education Associate, bringing to the Goldin Institute many skills including a fluency in Spanish. Prior to joining AmeriCorps, Alejandro worked to create innovative family programs at the Art Institute of Chicago and later as a founding member of The Creative Agency for The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA). Outside of his service at Goldin Institute and AmeriCorps, Alejandro is an active musician and visual artist.
Next Newsletter
Watch our next newsletter for an exciting progress update from our partners around the world. Can't wait until the next newsletter? Get your Goldin Institute fix by jumping onto our Facebook page for the latest news as it happens and join the growing community dedicated to uplifting stories of grassroots partnerships around the world at the tumblr site GoGrassroots!
As always, if you have suggestions of individuals who may want to receive this e-newsletter or stories you think we should tell, contact us at news@goldininstitute.org.
Colombia | Update from the field
In this Skype conversation direct from Bogotá, our global associate Lissette takes us through the recent strides made to end the 50 year conflict between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Lissette gave us her perspective of what the negotiations mean to her as someone leading community development projects and working towards peace in Colombia. Some of the highlights of this conversation center around the recent 100 page report just issued outlining ten agreements by both parties. Chief among them was an agreement made regarding the marginalization of farmers. Currently, about 40% of the land in Colombia does not have a defined owner and many farmers have lived and worked on the land without documentation of ownership. As Lissette explained, the agreement would prompt the government to start providing contracts to farmers designating ownership.
Lissette went on in our conversation to explain the important agreement put in place to address inequities within education, food and housing experienced by those in the rural areas of Colombia. This agreement will help reduce poverty and allow for a better quality of life for those in rural areas.
Additional agreements relate to an open bidding process for government contracts that will ensure companies and workers are from the same area in which the work is being done. This is likely to reduce corruption and the negative influence to the process by those who have traditionally held the most power.
Finally, while negotiations are still in process and the agreements are going in the right direction, future implementation and enforcement of the agreements will be a challenge. Lissette gave us first hand accounts of these challenges explaining explicit threats made to her partner and mentor (and our colleague and contributor), Fr. Leonel Narvaez. These threats have been issued by groups thought to be para-military and working against the peace process. Because the peace process ultimately hopes to empower marginalized individuals, those working for peace, reconciliation and human rights are viewed as a threat to oppositional para-military groups and they are fearful of losing the power they currently have.
It was good to catch-up with Lissette, as she expressed her optimism in the face of outside pressure to her and Fr. Leonel's work. She assures us that they will continue to move forward, knowing that advancing their work in the reconciliation movement is the right thing to do for the community at large.
We are proud to continue in partnership and support the work of Lissette in Colombia. More information on her and her colleague's work can be found at our overview page here. Find out how you can become more involved and partner with us as we advance our project work in Latin America.
Foreign Policy and Gay Rights in Africa
Because our own project work takes us frequently to the African continent, we continue to follow and stay engaged with "the complex geography of the global fight for gay rights."
This article in Foreign Policy illustrates just some of the challenges for Westerners running up against the issue, even when working on projects seemingly unrelated to discrimination against the gay population. Especially well-reasoned, is this passage from the piece, which mirrors our own policy of involving local leaders at every step in the process to create effective community driven social change.
[quote]On tactical questions like whether aid conditionality is effective, Western activists and governments should pay close attention to the views of local groups. In 2011, a large group of African social justice organizations issued a statement opposing a proposal to condition British aid, arguing, among other things, that doing so risked alienating local LGBT activists from other civil society groups. Although this doesn't mean that every proposed set of LGBT-related conditions is unwelcome, it does underscore that opinions on the utility of aid conditionality are divided and that local views need to be carefully canvassed and considered.[/quote]
Please see our overview page for more on our ongoing project work in Uganda.
Photo Credit: ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP/Getty Images
Global Associate Plants Trees for Future Environmental Health of Mindanao
On Friday, our own Global Associate, Dr. Susana Anayatin, took part in a tree-planting effort which broke the world record for trees planted in a single hour. The full story of the TreeVolution: Greening MindaNow can be found here. Partial and unofficial tally of entries sent from around the six regions in Mindanao already recorded 2,003,251 trees planted as of 2:31 p.m., with more than half of the actual number still to be reported after undergoing validations by community and provincial offices of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
[quote]Partial and unofficial tally of entries sent from around the six regions in Mindanao already recorded 2,003,251 trees planted as of 2:31 p.m., with more than half of the actual number still to be reported after undergoing validations by community and provincial offices of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)."
The record was made by 113,470 volunteers – from students and members of non-governmental organizations, to government personnel and police and military personnel.[/quote]
Pictured below is Susana, who in addition to doing the 'dirty work' of physically planting trees, was named as a coordinator and steward during the volunteer effort for the Upper Awang, DOS Maguindanao. Susana has a long record of being an advocate for Environmental Protection of vulnerable regions like that of the Southern Philippines and her project work continues to include a large component on education and informational lectures to groups like the military and the police who are critical in the partnerships being built on the ground to do such work.
As Susana reported for this story:More than the record breaking, tree planting is a passion for me as part of environmental protection and mitigation of global climate change, where the Philippines is one of the most affected countries in Asia.
[quote]More than the record breaking, tree planting is a passion for me as part of environmental protection and mitigation of global climate change, where the Philippines is one of the most affected countries in Asia."[/quote]
- Dr. Susana Anayatin
To learn more about our work and Susana's peacebuilding and environmental advocacy in Mindanao, please see our issues page here. Through tomorrow, we are still earmarking donations for the flood relief project that Susana is co-coordinating in Mindanao - Get involved here!
Fall 2014 Newsletter
It has been several weeks since we've given you an update on what we have been up to. Locally and abroad, much is moving forward and we are excited to share this newsletter with you!
Watch a brief video overview of this newsletter:
Philippines
As usual, there is much activity and progress in the Philippines. Access to safe drinking water continues to be a priority for our Global Associate Dr. Susana Anayatin as she and her team install safe water wells in the Mindanao region. We are excited about their progress and would like to share with you our new interactive map which illustrates completed and planned projects. Click on each completed project to get a snapshot of the many individuals who now have access to safe-water. This map dynamically changes as Susana and her team update the data and make plans to service new schools.
As in many countries, one step forward can be met with many challenges to our progress. Recently, Cotabato City and the Maguindanao Province experienced severe storms that resulted in flooding. Over 15 villages are under-water and schools are faced with adversity as books, classrooms and facilities are damaged. Despite the flooding and difficult learning environment, students are motivated to learn and teachers are able to work around the challenges and teach strategically. To help provide direct support to the flooded region, please click here. All donations in the month of September will be dedicated to flood relief and are fully tax-deductible.
On Sept. 12, 2014, J. Marquez Elementary School in partnership with the Department of Education, the Philippine Army and the Goldin Institute Philippines launched the Peace Consciousness Month and International Day of Peace with the theme "Nagkakaisang Bayan para sa Kapayapaan," translated to United People for Peace. The activity symbolically paralleled the recent peace process occurring between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Philippine Government. The activity promoted peace amidst a diverse student population and the Mindanao community. Students were instilled with the value of peace by engaging in various activities such as a peace poster contest and a peace jingle contest.
Go Grassroots!
Goldin Institute is excited to announce GoGrassroots, a Tumblr site created as an online forum for those working at the grassroots level. The site supports grassroots movements across the globe. Regardless of their involvement with the Goldin Institute, organizations are able to share ideas, peer review each other's work and learn from each other as grassroots movements continue to positively impact communities in need. Take a look at the site to learn about innovative grassroots work and the skilled leaders who are directing the initiatives.
One innovative leader you may have recently seen on GoGrassroots is Brian Concannon, Executive Director of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. The Goldin Institute partnered with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs to host a discussion featuring Brian and Fran Quigley, author of the new book How Human Rights Can Build Haiti. A key message Brian conveyed during the event was that effective change in Haiti begins with the work of those struggling within the country.
[quote]Invest from the bottom-up; those experiencing Haiti on the ground are the voices that know what is needed to help themselves and the country."[/quote]
- Brian Concannon, human rights attorney
GoGrassroots was the brainchild of our intern Alexis Smyser. Alexis has recently completed her 10-month internship with the Goldin Institute. Please join us in congratulating her on a successful completion of her internship. We thank Alexis for all the good work she has done for the Goldin Institute and wish her well on her next endeavor!
Next Newsletter
Keep an eye out for our next newsletter where we will highlight the continued work of the National Platform in Uganda.
As always, if you have suggestions of individuals who may want to receive this e-newsletter or stories you think we should tell, contact us at news@goldininstitute.org.
Summer 2014 Newsletter
It has been a busy summer for us at the Goldin Institute! Visits from global advocates, interviews with local community leaders and progress with our partners around the globe have kept us moving forward both locally and abroad. We are thrilled to share this latest update with news from our recent work on the ground in Uganda and Zanzibar.
Watch a brief video overview of this newsletter:
Uganda
In June, Diane and Travis travelled to Uganda to participate in a training led by our Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa from Colombia. Lissette trained our partners in Uganda to use the ESPERE methodology. Developed in Colombia, the methodology is designed to engage the local community by using schools as centers for reconciliation for former child soldiers in the region.
The training took the form of an intensive eight day workshop wherein program participants learned about strategies to promote forgiveness and reconciliation and obtained tools to carry these ideas forward within their community. Sixteen individuals—including child combatants, teachers, counsellors and community members—from five different regions of Northern Uganda participated in the training.
From theoretical to tangible, the workshop began by developing the concepts that would lay the foundation for communities to reintegrate former combatants and develop resiliency against the practice in the future. Language barriers, cultural differences and preconceived notions quickly dissolved as the ESPERE program took root with participants and it became clear that the need for forgiveness and reconciliation, especially towards young combatants, is universal.
The first three days deconstructed the idea of forgiveness and what it means to forgive. Beyond verbally saying the words "I forgive you," workshop attendees learned that forgiveness requires tools, engaged with a thoughtful process, to fix problems that arise for both victims and perpetrators. In addition to a cultural perspective, forgiveness was presented through an academic and practical viewpoint, connecting with all participants in ways that honored and enhanced their personal and communal affiliations. Participants explored ways that forgiveness is instrumental in mending the societal fabric tattered by conflict. Over the next two days, participants were guided through approaches to reconciliation that highlighted the need for an individual to think about the bonds they are trying to fix and identify the terms on which a newly reconciled relationship can function. During this session, surprising connections occurred between everyone in the room. Even though the scars of war were etched in the hearts and minds of both participants and trainers coming from very different circumstances and regions, everyone shared the desire to return to a peaceful community without hostile relationships.
On the sixth day of the workshop, program participants now equipped with the conceptual foundation of forgiveness and reconciliation went through a "train the trainer" session. Lissette taught program participants the methodology behind the ESPERE program so they are able to lead the reintegration program themselves. Finally, the last two days of the program leveraged what was learned and developed plans to put this knowledge into practice. Program participants met with former child soldiers and created action plans based on their insights and aspirations. Speaking with former child soldiers allowed program participants to understand their needs through the new lenses of forgiveness and reconciliation. The first-hand perspectives of the former child soldiers also informed participants about gaps in their society that they could address. The attendees and eventual graduates put together action plans to concretely outline their next steps to carry forward the tools and knowledge gained in the workshop for an outcome that was beneficial and sustainable for their community.
Action plans created by program participants consisted of strategies to train between 15- 90 individuals of varying backgrounds on the ESPERE program throughout the Northern conflict zone of Uganda. By engaging former child soldiers, formerly abducted women, students and survivors of violence, the ESEPRE program will carry forward the idea of forgiveness and reconciliation with the aim of bringing peace to the community. The Goldin Institute is looking forward to partnering with these program participants who will lead community driven social change for reintegration.
Zanzibar
Following the training in Uganda, Travis and Diane headed to Zanzibar for a three-day Peace Camp hosted by our colleagues at the Arigatou Foundation and the Global Network of Religions for Children, an international interfaith network dedicated to securing the rights and well-being of children worldwide.
The event had youth participants from Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Each of these countries have experienced conflicts fueled by violent extremism. The Camp provided youth with the opportunity to share their experiences and come up with solutions that can prevent violent extremism, especially amongst the youth. Our partner from the Arigatou Foundation, Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali, convened this group of youth peace ambassadors from throughout the Horn of Africa region and facilitator Belall Maudarbux trained them in new approaches to stop the growing trend towards violent extremism in the region. Based on our work in Uganda and Zanzibar, the Goldin Institute is excited to expand our partnership over the coming months to scale up this youth peace ambassadors program throughout our network.
Haiti
Recently, KOFAVIV co-founder and 2012 CNN Hero of the Year Malya Villard-Appolon was in Chicago to update us on her work to provide social and legal support and combat sexual violence against women and girls in Haiti. While she was here, she courageously shared her story in a taped segment that aired on National Public Radio's Worldview program as part of a show dedicated to current issues in Haiti. In addition to the interview with Malya about her efforts to stop sexual and gender based violence in Haiti, the hour-long program included a live panel discussion on the latest legal proceedings to hold the U.N. accountable for the cholera epidemic in Haiti.
A Look Forward
Watch our next newsletter for an exciting progress update from our partners in the Philippines and an exciting new online initiative that will profile innovative grassroots leaders and initiatives from around the world.
If you have suggestions of individuals who may want to receive this e-newsletter or stories you think we should tell, please contact us at news@goldininstitute.org
Goldin Institute Successfully Returns to Uganda
This June, Institute co-founders Diane Goldin and Travis Rejman returned to Uganda to participate in our first ever cross-continental Child Soldier Reintegration and Reconciliation Training Workshops. Because of her work in developing and using the ESPERE methodology in her native Colombia, our Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa was the natural candidate to lead the training in Uganda.
Before bringing this project to Africa, Lissette worked closely with our partner and her advisor, Fr. Leonel Narvaez designing and successfully testing the ESPERE methodology to engage local communities by using schools as centers for reconciliation for former child soldiers in the region. We highlighted their work and what this looks like on-the-ground in Colombia in previous reports.
To best adapt the training to our colleagues in Africa, an intensive eight-day workshop was conducted wherein participants learned about the key concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation, and obtained tools to carry these ideas forward within their communities.
In all, Lissette successfully trained 16 individuals made up of child combatants, teachers, crisis counselors and community members. These participants represented five different regions of Northern Africa and because each certified trainer committed to individual action plans upon completion, the outreach within their communities will impact many more potential trainees. In short, Lissette has left a "teaching tree" model in place that we hope to see expand and carry forth the ESPERE program within the region.
[quote]My expectations were different than the reality in Africa, normally the mass media shows to the world the bad things about Africa, I was expecting some kind of hungry people, in a dusty or dirty environment, waiting for water and food. But, I realized (once there and on the ground) that they have needs, but also they have so many good things that the mass media doesn't talk about: they are a happy and generous people, (there are) amazing buildings for education, they are bilinguals and have spoken their own language and English since they were kids, they have some kind of sense of community that we have lost in our developed societies, and is highly necessary for healing our societies – they are ahead of the game in that sense. I realized we have as many things to learn from them as they can learn from us. I'm not saying everything is perfect, I'm just saying that not everything is bad, and there is great hope for the future because of the people. Moreover, I was expecting a very rough place but it was a beautiful place for the workshop."[/quote]
- Global Associate and program facilitator, Lissette Mateus Roa
Lissette's excerpted comments above are from a conversation with her upon her return from Africa. The full interview can be found here.
In coming months, we look forward to sharing the results of the action plans established by the trainees at Lissette's ESPERE workshop, as they carry out the mission to bring societal changes to their own communities in Northern Africa. If you would like to become more involved supporting this project, find out how you can help.
[slide] [img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_1.jpg"]Co-founder's Diane Goldin and Travis Rejman meet with Everest Okwonga, the Principal at St. Janani Luwum Vocational Training Centre[/img] [img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_2.jpg"]Co-founder's Diane Goldin and Travis Rejman meet with students at a trade school for former child combatants in Gulu[/img] [img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_3.jpg"]Co-founder Diane Goldin meets with students in a Gulu classroom during the Institute's June2014 trip to the region to take part on child soldier reintegration efforts[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_4.jpg"]Participants of a workshop conducted by Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa take part in one of the exercises teaching 'forgiveness'[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_5.jpg"] Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa (bottom left) and her group of ESPERE students. Also included is friend and colleague and Associate emeritus Dr. Dorcas Kiplagat (standing 5th from right)[/img] [img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_6.jpg"]Participants of the ESPERE workshop during a training session[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_7.jpg"]Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa (standing) leads a training session in Gulu[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_9.jpg"]Global Associate Lissette Mateus conducts an exercise with participants of the ESPERE workshop in June 2014[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_15.jpg"]Global Associate Lissette Mateus (sitting foreground) leads her ESPERE training group[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_28.jpg"]Co-founder Diane Goldin meets with students at the St Janani Vocational School. The School is made up of mostly former child soldiers learning new skills (like carpentry in this classroom) to rejoin civilian life.[/img] [img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_27.jpg"]The workshop attended by former child combatants[/img][img path="images/slideshow/full/uganda2014_34.jpg"]Institute co-founder Diane Goldin meets with Ajok Dorah - a psychologist specializing in giving counsel to former child combatants returning to their communities.[/img][/slide]
