Service For Peace is an international non-profit organization that has been managing and structuring volunteer service programs since 2002. Having initiated its programs in the United States and Korea, the organization currently has a presence in twenty two countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and USA within communities that are branded ‘Communities Of Peace.’

While the organization begun initiating its programs within these communities focused on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) especially the second goal of achieving universal education, the emphasis over the years has been on driving an inclusive and sustainable community led, community grown and community driven process. The organization therefore then seeks to establish itself as a partner in the process supporting the community to identify issues that affect them, empower and enhance their capacities to initiate relevant solutions and meaningful impact.

In this article, we provide insight into highlight four approaches that have been valuable for the organization in advancing community driven development process.

Establishing a local ongoing initiative / local partner

One of the key objectives in identifying a community to work with, the organization seeks to establish partnerships with local ongoing initiatives within a specific target community. Once partnership is established, the organization commits to invest within these communities for a minimum period of 3-5 years. Partnering with ongoing local initiatives ensures local ownership and is an integral part of sustaining initiatives started.

Service For Peace in 2010 established partnership with Children’s Garden Home and School that rehabilitates rescued and abandoned children. The home is located in a semi-urban community in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya. The home had ongoing initiatives to support the children in form of a home and a school but urgently needed support to enhance and sustain the efforts. Through the established partnership, the organization has initiated a number of programs within this community.

Structured & meaningful volunteer programs

Once the organization through its local national offices has established partnership within a community, the commitment would then be to invest in this community for a minimum of 3-5 years. During this period, the organization implements structured volunteer programs that bring together local and international volunteers to undertake projects within these communities. Through these programs, local volunteers are generated that would continue to support the process. As well, the programs provide an opportunity to bring other local partners that include schools/universities, government institutions and even corporate companies that would become a resource and key partners in supporting ongoing initiatives.

Global PeaceMakers (one of Service For Peace’s International Volunteer Programs) participants undertake the renovation of a model school that also generated partnership with a local university in the Dominican Republic, and also brought together community members and other partners to support the implementation of initiatives started. 

Generating resource within the community

As part of integrating a sustainable community driven development approach, the program values the community and the institutions within it as assets in the process and therefore seeks to generate community leaders, social entrepreneurs and other partners from within these communities that become a key part of the process ensuring that the development is community owned and driven.

Identifying key people within the community to drive the process; In this picture Moses Ndungu (left) and Elaine Hurt (right – the Service For Peace / Global Peace Connect Director in Kenya) in the greenhouse that was initiated at the home and school in the Community Of Peace in Dagoretti Kenya, where the organization has established an ongoing partnership. The greenhouse is part of the effort to drive a sustainable process by supplying part of the food for the home and also generate revenue from the surplus produce sold. Moses has been identified as a social entrepreneur that has been driving the initiatives.

Providing ongoing support and bringing initiatives to the global limelight

It is very well known that many of the great initiatives that happen at the community level often go unnoticed. In most instances, those running these initiatives are focused on keeping them together with barely have the time, the know-how or the understanding of what it means to showcase their impact.  The organization remains the umbrella that provides the avenue to bring these initiatives to the global limelight, showcasing valuable practices, impact within the communities and especially emphasize on successful community driven development (CDD) models. The organization also provides the avenue to connect to the needed resources.

By Becky Gitonga

“I thought it would be fun, but I couldn’t have been prepared to have my life and perspective forever transformed,” says David Miller, an Indianapolis native studying biology at Xavier University. The Alternative Break movement promotes active citizenship among US university students through direct service, reflection, and education about pressing social issues in and outside of the United States. When Xavier students decided to participate in their second annual Alternative Break program with Service For Peace and Global Peace Connect, they couldn't have expected the depth of the experience together with El Quimal.

El Quimal is a Community of Peace nestled in the mountains of Guatemala. It is a humble but inspiring community that fiercely protects its indigenous Mayan heritage, its customs, the education of its children, and its commitment to community. Months ago when discussions began about the program, community leaders and residents met with Service For Peace and Global Peace Connect representatives. Based on a previous community needs assessment and dialogue among community residents, the community decided on its next priority: the construction of a protective wall surrounding a make-shirt community sports court below the elementary school. The sports court is virtually the only common, central area where everyone can meet — adult, kids, women, men, athletically inclined or not. Perched on a cliff, there were always concerns about the safety of kids playing.

This project addressed the need — as expressed and driven by community members in El Quimal — for a safety precaution. For months, Xavier students spent time researching Guatemala and its culture, acquainting itself with El Quimal through representatives from Service For Peace and Global Peace Connect. Finally the volunteers arrived and were welcomed to El Quimal with a celebration and performance organized by the school. What ensued over the next week was not only inspirational but purely magical. Community members and volunteers alike worked side-by-side, taking turns wielding hammers, mixing cement, pouring concrete and laying blocks. Stories were shared; barriers were crossed; and social issues were explored deeply time and again.

The best part?

It’s not the end. Not only is Xavier committed to returning next year to assist in addressing a community-identified need, whether it be related to the same issue or different, but the community is committed to caring for the newly constructed wall. They are excited to use it, to continue to share the legacy of intercultural partnership, or assistance with dignity.

As one volunteer, Marissa Carlson, puts it, “Service For Peace builds relationships, not dependency. Service For Peace has ignited my passion for life.”

The cycle continues as El Quimal prepares for future programs in and around the school and community, and especially to continue to enjoy and grow sustainable partnerships both locally and internationally.

Janna Gullery is the International Program Director at Service For Peace. Having previously worked for 6 years with SFP in Latin America & the Caribbean, she has witnessed the transformation and strengthening of Communities of Peace throughout the region alongside long-term partnerships. She is an NYC native passionate about all of her communities, both locally and beyond.

“I left plates on the table and everything else including the house”.  These are the words of a community member explaining to the Service For Peace (SFP) team her escape from the flooding that engulfed their community following the building of a sewer.

The community in this case is La Rapressa in the Dominican Republic. A group of SFP team members together with international volunteer participants had arrived in this community to implement one of SFP’s programs — the Global PeaceMakers (GPM). It was already clear what the task at hand was — to find a solution that would bring to an end the flooding ensuring that the community had their homes safe again.

Twelve days is what it took to make a difference. During this period, the GPM participants together with community members joined together lifting blocks of stone and placing them together to construct what is now a levee along a section of the community. Through this form of focused service that the GPM provides, the community was left feeling safe again that when the rainy season arrived, they would have nothing to fear as they would have their houses safe from the floods.

And well, they say ‘a picture (or a video) is worth a thousand words’. How can we best relay the GPM story other than sharing the experience through this video taken during the construction of the levee in the community of La Rapressa?

Service For Peace has been working in the community of La Rapressa starting in 2006 and has built a model school, in addition to a multi-purpose sports court. And while the organization has largely had a focus on education as the key factor in driving development, thus, the focus on building model schools, the organization also recognizes the need for interventions that enhance the development process. In the same way, a school feeding program serves as an intervention in enhancing the learning goals, the construction of the Levee was an urgent problem that was on the minds of the community residents in La Rapressa and having solved that increased greater trust in having SFP as a partner in development in this community.

We hope this highlight connects you to the GPM experience. We would like to hear your feedback, which you can provide based on (but not limited to) the questions below.

• What are your thoughts about the Global PeaceMakers Program?
• Did you ever think that 12 days or 2 weeks of your life could have significant impact for a developing community? And would you consider being part of such a program? If so, what would motivate you to join the program?

To learn more about the Global PeaceMakers program, please visit serviceforpeace.org or write to Janna Gullery at jgullery@serviceforpeace.org.

By Becky Gitonga

Despite the number of interventions done to promote empowerment through basic human rights, women are still suffering from inequities around the world. The role of women in our society is crucial and we must continue to empower them. Without them development will never occur. I met two women who defied cultural limitations, finding ways to empower fellow women and the community as a whole. It is timely that I share with you a story I learned when I traveled to the conflict-stricken part of my country, Mindanao Philippines.

The Philippines is a country of 7,101 islands and 171 dialects, which means that language barriers and communication are still big issues. Adding to that, this highly conservative Christian realm sometimes hinders the implementation of laws and policies benefiting women and reproduction. Poverty and illiteracy continue to rise. The gap between the rich and the poor is wider than ever. As the case gets worse, the heaviest burden is carried by the most vulnerable members of the population, the women and children.

In Philippine history, insurgency in Mindanao has been a perennial problem. The majority of people have stereotyped Muslims as leftists. This prejudiced attitude and uncritical judgement exacerbate the problems and create unhealthy relations with fellow Filipinos. In the northern part of the bustling city of Davao, a small rural community of Christians and Muslims thrives. La Paz National High School is headed by a very dynamic school principal. She is Mrs. Navarro, a school head, community leader and cooperative president rolled into one.  La Paz Community has 445 families with a population of 2,225 people. About 35 % are Muslims, 8% Samalnon and Mansaca tribes, and the rest, the majority, are Christians. People rely on agriculture and fishing for livelihood. Another source for income is peeling the Cavendish bananas that are sold to ketchup-making factories. As in many other communities, resources are scarce and incomes vary. With the partnership of Global Peace Connect! and Global Peace Festival Foundation, a sustainable Community-Driven Development (CDD) project flourishes in this promising community. The profits are divided among the stake holders, and help parents send their children to school. Community cooperation and cohesiveness increase while livelihoods and incomes become steady. The people develop an entrepreneurial drive accompanied with working hand in hand with community members. The sense of unity and camaraderie flourishes. Mrs. Navarro, tireless and enthusiastic, continues to encourage more village constituents to join the cooperative and send their children to school.

I met Lariben Taraboc, a student leader at La Paz National High School. She is one of the beneficiaries of the cooperative program mentioned. Despite being a Muslim girl in a community dominated by Christians, she has very well exemplified the makings of a true leader. She has harmonious relationships to her mentors, classmates, and neighbors amidst differences in political and religious affiliations. She believes that we only have one God, that we are all brothers and sisters.

Today, more youths go to school and the cooperative continues to prosper. This community of 445 families is promising. If we could do it here, we can do it in the 7,100 other Philippine islands and beyond, with people working together regardless of color, race, or religion. Communities prosper when there is unity and a sense of responsibility with each other.

Mrs. Navarro and Lariben are two great examples of women who transcend limitations in the roles set by culture and people around them. How they catalyzed more people to act and be active contributors and be part of the solution to the many problems encountered is noteworthy. They organized a society that respects differences, where Christians and Muslims work together for a better future. Peace is an integral part of achieving development and women possess this special ability. It is therefore concluded that if we long for development, women’s empowerment must be a priority. I think the key is for women not to set any limits.

By Erick Brocoy, twitter: @erickbrocoy  / @GPConnectAsia

The GP Connect team was gathered during Thursday lunch excited not just by the promise of food but of the possibility of a new partnership.

We met with two smart and engaging young women meeting us on behalf of the Youth to Youth (Y2Y) community of the World Bank, a group that focuses on bringing up and addressing issues regarding youth not only in the World Bank but across the world. The main topic was the upcoming Global Youth Conference 2012, a yearly event and one of the main projects of the Y2Y where the main objective is not only to acknowledge and provide information about present issues affecting youth today but to facilitate tangible opportunities for action.

Proving that GP Connect! is an organization of action, the GP Connect team began pitching ideas for outreach and potential guests, more than willing to collaborate. It was amazing and encouraging to see a mutual exchange of ideas. Already I cannot wait for what promises to be a very successful collaboration on such a significant project.

By Elizabeth Carrera