Programmes

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTIONS FOR PEACE BUILDING IN NORTH EAST INDIA

Project title	Building Bridges through Peace Building and Conflict Transformation in North East India
Funding agency	Misereor & Caritas France
Duration	June 2019 –Sept 2022
Operational areas	7 North East Diocesan Social Service Society (NEDSSS) • Region North Eastern Social Research Center (NESRC) • Region with focus on Assam, Manipur Nagaland and Tripura Assam (Jirsong Asong [JA], BGSS) • East and West Karbi Anglong Districts • Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Chirang Districts Tripura (JUST) • 20 schools in Unakoti, North, Dhalai, Gomati, West Khowai, Sepahijala and South district of Tripura, 2 youth clubs in West Tripura and 6 SHGs in West, Khowai, Gomati and South Tripura Nagaland (Peace Channel [PC]) • Dimapur, Chumukedima, Nuiland, Kohima, Peren, Wokha districts Manipur (DSSS) • Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel and Churachandpur districts
Target groups	Communities; Key institutions, private and Government affiliated schools, colleges and Universities; Teaching training Institutes; Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and Faith Based Organisation (FBO); Women groups; Human Rights and Peace Groups; Student bodies, youth, government departments, Law Enforcing personnel, Community Based Organisations (SHGs, Farmers Groups, Corporative) and Media fraternity.
Objectives	Objectives 1: Capacity of individuals are built and inter-ethnic and cultural dialogue enhanced through trust building and greater participation and engagement of all people (citizens, civil societies and community leaders) by end of 2022. Objective 2: Educational Institutions are engaged in building mutual respect, confidence and trust among students and community through peace building initiatives by the end of 2022 Objective 3: Strengthened village/district level peace committees and existing community structures/networks and are actively engaged in peace vigilance and stimulating mutual exchange and learning for maintaining peace and harmony
Project brief	During January to June 2022, the project staff implemented the following activities: Training on conflict Resolution skills; Human Rights, Training on leadership and motivation governance, life skills, Training of co-coordinators/managers of different projects on peace-building and conflict resolution skills, , Initiate Dialogue Between conflicting groups through JPMT, Need based state level workshop for religious leaders, Training on peace, human rights and leadership skills, Monthly meeting and strengthening of peace clubs, observation of important days, Seminar cum Meeting of Head of School, Training of SHGs on Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Annual Youth Programme
Accomplishments	Through the different activities mentioned, it was able to reached 15083 males and 20637 females with a total of 35720 participants during this reporting period · Changes in the target groups’ behaviour, attitude, and their sense of responsibility towards social issues and environment and use of resources for their livelihood. Individuals in their capacity as leaders, trainers, activities etc who have participated in several trainings have contributed to the society by training and sharing their learning in the community, workplace, friends, and family · The peace club members have initiated activities of cleanliness drives, observation of important days and resolved conflicts among peer members. The school peace club animators also understood how to be effective counsellor, manage anger with counselling skills and how to guide their peers. · The SHG women took up yam cultivation, pig rearing, silk worm rearing, goat rearing and cleanliness activities to their surroundings to boost their economy and maintain good environment. They support their husband in looking after the education and emotional growth of their children. They make sure to meet once in a month and discuss about the various social issues and their family problems. As a result, they could build better cooperation among themselves and with their families and bring about peace in the communities and in their families. · The youth leaders are aware of the need to come together and discuss political issues and introspect on it in order to prevent hatred, fight, and chaos in their locality. Some of the youth who are collaborating with us are actively working to give awareness on human trafficking, conflict resolution skills and on human rights in their own areas. The youth belonging to clubs, villages or educational institutions have taken up initiatives to fight for girls who were trafficked, protect the environment by collective tree plantation, cleanliness drives or take action against government machinery that were encroaching on individual land. · There is active networking and collaboration with different NGOs, religious and community leaders and other likeminded individuals and groups in order to create awareness and respond effectively in providing essentials in order to help the poor and needy in times of the crisis.