by Zahra Ismail

On November 15th, 2006 twenty three individuals from across the globe gathered at Shalom House in Nairobi, Kenya, for the very first Nonviolent Peaceforce core training for reserves.

I was both honored and thrilled to have been invited to participate in such a monumental step for the organization. My inclination towards pursuing peace began at an early age, when I first learned about the myriad of horrors caused by war and violence, and I constantly bombarded my parents with questions on why such things had happened, and why no one had put a stop to it. As I got older, I learned about nonviolence and nonviolent struggle, and started to find answers to the many questions.

My desire to work for Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) stemmed from this journey, and as I learned more about NPs vision, I felt that my aspirations for contributing to peace work could be realized through a continued involvement with them. The training only further reinforced this desire.

The training was both thought provoking and eye opening as we started off with an emphasis on self-awareness and self-reflection. We moved on to a more in-depth understanding of nonviolence, and other strategies for nonviolent action including accompaniment, presence, and monitoring and evaluation. The training included morning yoga, reflection buddies, cultural nights for self-expression and cultural learning, simulations with hands-on learning, and excursions to Kenya for us to learn about the country, and also to put in practice the skills we were learned during the training. We also engaged with the community, learning about several peace organizations in Kenya, and playing with amazing musicians, dancers, activists, community leaders, and simply extraordinary individuals.

Coming to East Africa was a significant moment in my life. My parents had immigrated to Canada from nearby Tanzania over 35 years ago and this was the first time anyone from our family returned. Being the first to go back was an overwhelming experience. It helped me better understand my family and my community and gave me a much clearer picture of their history, their struggles, and both the hopes and dreams they left behind and the new ones they created as they journeyed towards Canada.

ZAHRA ISMAIL,
Canada
Participant in Nairobi Trainng, Nov-Dec 2006