Stories of Impact

In Nakuru County, Sarah life was forever changed by post-election violence in 2007-2008. For years, she struggled with severe trauma, anxiety, and depression that affected her ability to work and care for her family.

"I had lost hope. Every night brought nightmares, and I couldn't trust anyone from other communities. Peace Work Kenya's trauma healing program not only helped me process my pain but also taught me that healing was possible."

Through our 12-week trauma healing program, Sarah learned coping mechanisms, participated in group therapy sessions, and gradually rebuilt her life. Today, she serves as a peer counselor, helping other survivors in her community.

For decades, the Rendille and Borana communities in Marsabit lived in conflict over water resources and grazing rights. Cattle rustling and revenge attacks were common, creating a cycle of violence that destroyed livelihoods and families.

"Our children couldn't attend school together, and we couldn't trade in each other's markets. The mediation process was challenging, but it opened our eyes to our shared struggles and common humanity."

Through our peace mediation program, traditional elders, religious leaders, and community representatives engaged in months of dialogue. Today, both communities share water points and have established joint security committees.

Kevin grew up in Kibera, surrounded by poverty, crime, and limited opportunities. At 19, he was at risk of joining a criminal gang when he discovered Peace Work Kenya's youth empowerment program.

"The leadership training changed my perspective completely. I learned that I could be part of the solution rather than the problem. Now I run programs that keep young people away from crime and drugs."

Kevin completed our 6-month leadership program, started a youth-led organization, and now mentors over 200 young people. His organization has prevented 15 young people from joining gangs and supported 30 in starting small businesses.

In Turkana County, women were often excluded from peace processes despite being most affected by conflict. Mary and 20 other women formed a peace circle through our social cohesion program.

"We were tired of losing our children to conflicts we had no voice in stopping. The peace circle gave us the platform and skills to engage community leaders and advocate for our children's future."

The women's peace circle successfully mediated three major conflicts, established women's participation in traditional peace meetings, and created income-generating activities that reduced resource-based conflicts.

Our school-based mental health program transforms the learning environment.

"This program caters for students who are suffering in silence. This counseling program, peer support networks, and teacher training support creates an environment where students thrive academically and emotionally."

The program reduces dropout rates, lessens student cases of contemplating suicide, and improves academic performance.Our focus is also on promoting better classroom management and encourages positive relationships with students,teachers and parents/guardians in communities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched a peace and mental health digital education platform that reached communities unable to attend in-person programs. The innovation expanded our reach dramatically.

"The online platform allowed us to continue our peace work even during lockdowns. We reached people in remote areas who had never accessed such programs before, including diaspora communities."

The platform now hosts 500+ hours of content, serves 15,000+ users monthly, and has been adapted for use in 8 other African countries. It includes virtual reality therapy sessions and AI-powered mental health support.