IS SU E 2 V OL UM E 1 YE AR 2014  AFP AD, O RGANISATION OVERVIEW ..................... 1  THE S OCIAL COHESION CONVERSATION ............. 1  THE IP AD P ROJECT, A LOOK AT THE TRAINING BY African Forum for Peace and Development ACCORD..................... 2 active4change ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE, PLANTING THE SEEDS FOR A SECURE FUTURE Organisation Overview AFPaD is a young community development organisation, registered under the Department of Social Development as a Non-profit Organisation with Reg. No: 084-424-NPO. AFPaD activities and motives are apolitical, non-lucrative, and non-discriminatory in nature and dealings. Being community support and development oriented, AFPaD aims at assisting both the refugee and local communities who are faced with different problems. Our services go from social assistance to capacity building, and advocacy. The above mentioned assistances by AFPaD are achieved through different programmes and or projects which allow the organisation to do the day to day business and interactions with beneficiaries. Vision To become the leaders in the building and the promotion of strong unity, solid and integral development, and quality leadership on the continent Mission As a development oriented organisation, we strive to mitigating poverty by implementing community development initiatives in vulnerable communities – refugees, locals; promoting the culture of peace and social cohesion and fighting against scourges pandemic. Motto To be active for change – Active4Change Our Organisation Operations Our organisation operates in two departments, the “operations” department being the lab of the organisation’s core operations and the “supporting” department which basically the administrations and finance. In our operations we have four programmes namely: a. Initiative Peace and Development – IPaD b. Reproductive Health for Youthrefugees Programme – RHY-Pro c. Self-reliance and Empowerment Programme – SEP d. Capacity Development and Training Programme – CaDeT Social cohesion – the conversation On the 30th June 2014, AFPaD was invited to take part in a discussion on social cohesion at the University of Kwazulu Natal. The discussions were part of the provincial research commission on social cohesion being led by Dr. Candice Moore from ACCORD which will submit recommendation to the KZN provincial government for consideration. AFPaD was represented by Steven M. Kabalilwa (chief executive) and Jérémie MN (board secretary). Other bodies represented were: Refugees’ Social Service (RSS), St. Emmanuel Cathedral, Women to Women (W2W) and the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) The IPaD Project Sowing the seed of peace, reaping integral and solid development AFPaD volunteers during one of the sessions of the Conflict Resolution train held at the Diakonia Centre in Durban— RSA. Sessions were facilitated by John Ahere of ACCORD and certificates were handed by ACCORD deputy director Mr. Jerome Sachane (who also contributed in developing the programme of mediation between D.R Congo conflict protagonists in San City), the training was officialy opened by Senzo Ngubane, general manager at ACCORD During the week of 23rd to 25th June 2014, ACCORD experts and trainers in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict resolution, management and mediation conducted an intensive training to 20 AFPaD volunteers in terms of the project “Initiative Peace and Development – IPaD”. To remind, the project is being implemented by AFPaD in partnership with ACCORD; and aim at contributing to the building, construction and maintenance of peace, social cohesion in the African great lakes regions for an integral and solid development. Africa dreams of an integrally and solidly developed continent, this can only achieved if conflicts are peacefully resolved and peace built. Communities have accepted to peacefully cohabit together in a socially cohesive environment. To contribute to such a dream, AFPaD initiated the project that begins by skilling the African diaspora within Africa on trends of conflict resolution, mediation and social cohesion; mutual acceptance and cultural diversity. This project which until now lacks funding is being implemented by AFPaD with the assistance of ACCORD, a world leading civil society organisation in fields of peacebuilding and human rights. ACCORD has thus far been sponsoring the trainings providing experts trainers and covering costs of these events to make sure the dream of this young organisation – AFPaD get the chance to come true, to whom we are indebted of gratitude. After the first series of trainings, AFPaD volunteers have busy and hard work descending in the fields – in different refugees’ communities living in the province of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, uncovering some silent conflicts hidden within these communities. With skills gained thus far through the project – training, volunteers have been able to initiate mediation between different refugees’ communities that for sometimes were not able to see eyes to eyes. The next phase of training is being prepared by our partners – ACCORD and soon a date will be set for this event. PS: as much as we wouldn't like to mention names, we would just to acknowledge the tireless efforts by Ms Laura D. Bozzo, ACCORD training coordinator in making sure the first training got off the ground. Also dear Clarice Dlamini for her logistics arrangements. We kindly appreciate your passion and patience. African forum for Peace and Development Suite 22, Industrial Building House 59 Diakonia Avenue Durna 4001 [email protected] www.emmsa.org After an intensive weeklong training expert trainers from ACCORD, AFPaD volunteers reaped the fruits of their labor receiving certificates “Conflict Resolution”. As it is said, whoever sweat in sowing will always smile in harvesting, and that was obvious on the faces of AFPaD volunteers while receiving their certificates and ready to engage the field for peacebuilding our ding n e s gain out a ing to the eir most h t i w n giv for th eciate editio ur thanks s i h nder t e pr o v d , o n G de ly ap te y u o u t r i d n t t e a d e rayer pe gr W p oul S e . r c r . n u r e e o o i c W in at is gs dM and s ty Ltd an ur organis r work. It re blessin u deep P a o o o s you us in world ons t ! 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