Category: Peer Mediation

GICUMBI PEER MEDIATION TRAINING IN JUNE 2019

The participants were very happy and thankful to TLC for the knowledge they got; they said that this knowledge will help them to change slowly their behaviours and start a new way of living in peace with their peers and friends. They enjoyed being mediators in their school and in communities where they live.

Photos of children’s attended training of Peer Mediation and Facilitators

After training, most of the participants decided to change some behaviours caused the conflict like fighting with their peers, insulting others, harassing each other and stealing etc.

Challenges:

  • Long way to the facilitators (Kigali –Gicumbi)
  • Noise from tractors  because of road construction
  • Few fees for facilitators (two facilitators to 50 children was not easy)

Testimonies of participants:

My Name is INGABIRE Sandrine; I study in p4 at Inyange primary school. This peer mediation training, I learned good way of conflict resolution that is mediation and mediator characteristics I am going to change some of my behaviours because before this training I was one of the people who caused conflicts in the school. I will be able to resolve my conflict and help my peers to get the solution to their problems.

My name IMFURASHEMA Happy student in P4 at Inyange primary school, the last three days I was here in the training I learned how I must promote peace at school by helping the peers who are in the conflict, I liked this training because before getting it   I was one who fights with the peers but because I know the causes of conflict I am going to change my bad behaviour then I will help others to resolve their conflict.

I am UMWIZERWA Janviere Student in P4, I got knowledge about conflict, I know that the children also are able to resolve their conflict I am happy to be Mediator that will help me not to be the cause of conflict because as mediator I will teach my peers to change their bad behaviour and reduce the conflict, I will help them to resolve their conflict without going to teacher or headmaster, respect each other and live peacefully.

Recommendations for the way forward

  • More training for having more mediators in the schools
  • Budget for following the Peace Club created from the students trained
  • Training of new peer mediation trainers for having more facilitators
  • Training in the holiday of children from a different school  and from the churches

Training of peer mediation to children’s at Kigali Peace Library

The participants were girls and boys from one school in Gatenga Sector called George Fox Kagarama primary school. They were all selected from primary 4 and 5 classes.

Two years ago this school requested for a peer mediation training because of the issues students have been having in their communities.  To help the students  at the same time it was difficult to carry out the training effectively due to the study programs from the school that had to keep going on. However, with the little time TLC had, facilitators saw that the workshop was needed since the last time the students of this school were trained was in 2016 and they are now in secondary school in different school around the country.

Photo of participants  at Kigali peace library in peer mediation training

Workshop materials needed: Notebooks, Pens, Markers, Flipcharts, Meals and facilitation fees

 

Facilitator’s comments on the workshop: The facilitators enjoyed the group of students trained it was encouraged and motivated group by asking different questions and helping each other understand all the concepts. The facilitators are so thankful to TLC for this wonderful peace program of peer mediation, these trainings has contributed a lot in children intellectual growth and different people around them can see it. This program is very important to our communities especially for these young children; it helps children to grow up with a culture of peace and bringing sustainable peace among the society.

Strengths:

Usually we did peer mediation in the school day that is good because the students combine the training and courses but it was interested to do it at some point in the holidays because facilitators got to have more time with the children and having different personal conversation with them. This training also in holiday, the children were free for training. It was also encouraging to hear that the headmasters requested again for these training because it shows the impact it is making on the students.

The participants were very happy and thankful to TLC that takes it’s time to come and be with them to give them something to add on their knowledge. The students said that what they learnt will help them improve on their behaviors and how they live with others in the society. Students are excited to use what they learnt and be the peer mediators between the school and communities to promote peaceful living in societies.

After training most of participants decided to stop some behaviors which can cause the conflict like fighting with their peers, insulting others, harassing others, stealing etc.

Testimonies of participants:

My Name is MUHAWENIMANA Lethitia, I study in p5 George fox Kagarama primary school in this peer mediation training I have learnt more about conflicts and conflict resolution. I have learnt different ways I can change the kind of word choices I use while communicating to my peers, so that the conversations can go well rather than them resulting in conflicts or fights, I learn how to use phrases like ,  I message., and also not to point figures. I am glad that I am now people who can see things differently in a peaceful way and help my peers also stop managing their conflicts in a wrong way.

My name NTORE Brave student in P4 at George fox Kagarama primary school what I have learnt in this training is to be Mediator, it was an important training for me because before getting it   I used to fight a lot for no reason but from now I am going to change my bad behavior and help others to resolve their conflicts too.

My name is UWIMPUHWE Bella; I am studying  in P5 and I’m  10years old, what I have learnt in this   training is that I will not be the cause of conflict because am now a  peer mediator I will teach my peers to change their bad behavior and reduce the conflict, I will help them to resolve their conflict without going to teacher or headmaster, respect each other and live peacefully.

Recommendations for way forward

  • More training for having more peer mediators in the schools
  • Peace –Clubs creation for making sustainable peace
  • Training of new peer mediation trainers for having more facilitators
  • Training in the holidays to children from different school, from the church , etcThe Facilitators in peer mediation training are MUHAWENIMANA Francine,  INGABIRE Blandine, and Mukamanzi Therese

Peer Mediation at the Children’s Peace Libraries in Gisenyi

The Gisenyi town Library is an amazing Peace Library that offers children access to reading books near many Gisenyi primary schools.

When the library first opened there were many children who came to check out books and each day the number of children increased. So far the number of children using the library is around 147 from 5 schools within the area. The library is growing and 4 new shelves were added and more books are being donated to the library.

This Peace Library seeks to give the children access to knowledge through books and to promote a culture of reading. The Gisenyi Peace Library has also provided a Peer Mediation workshop for children who attend the library. On the 11-13thof June, 2012 two groups of children in different schools were given 3 days of peer mediation training. The first group was made of 18 children aged 8 to 13 while the second group had 21 children aged 10 to 15. One group was trained in the morning and the other in the afternoon because of school schedules.

The motivation behind this peer mediation workshop was to give teenagers the proper skills so that they may develop a greater understanding of conflict and different styles of resolving conflict, factors that escalate conflict, and how mediation fits into the distribution of power in conflict.

Young people want help settling their own disputes. They may act like they don’t want help, but they do. Therefore the mediation given to these children will help them find a way to settle their problems constructively on their own.

It wasn’t easy to choose which children to be trained but Theoneste and Laura, who work with the children’s peace library, helped choose them by contacting the parents of the children and came up with two groups to be trained. When J. Baptiste and Therese, the peer mediation facilitators, arrived they found them ready to learn and participate in the workshop.

During the workshop things went very smoothly and children understood the content of what conflicts are, the factors that escalate them, what mediation is, and different ways of resolving conflicts. They were very happy to have been invited to participate in such wonderful training.

Some of the recommendations given from one of the participants who represented all in the first group he said: “This is my first time to be called for a training and I guess it is the same thing to my fellow participants. We have liked this workshop and we wish to continue for at least a full week or the organizers of this workshop may they set another time for like this. I am going to be different and carry out all good characteristics of a good mediator to my school, streets and home.”

In the second group, they too wished the same as in the first group. The only difference is that our parting wasn’t good for them for it touched their emotions and some cried and asked the telephone number of Therese and J.Baptiste so that in case they think of us they will call.

Narrated by J.Baptiste.

Children in the Mediation

One of the student giving Thanks and Recommendations on behalf of the entire group

Practice

The second group of the Peer Mediation Workshop
Photo (after the workshop is over)

The first group of Peer Mediation Workshop

In the Workshop

Demonstrating how a Mediator can arrange the seats in his office during the time for mediation