PROJECT TITLE: EDUSER FOR PEACE PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
1.Empower young people, individuals, and communities to transform conflicts and build peace.
2.Train community members in areas such as education, leadership for peace, conflict prevention, and resolution.
3.Provide services contributing to the integration of vulnerable groups into society.
4.Raise awareness about determining factors in conflict creation, aiming to transform root causes.
5.Facilitate processes improving communication among community members, strengthening conflict prevention.
6.Provide education to youth, enabling them to become peace agents in their communities.
7.Develop community-involved activities focused on peace consolidation and conflict resolution.
8.Offer psychological and social services contributing to the integration of vulnerable
groups, including at-risk youth, school dropouts, and conflict or violence victims.
9.Enhance the educational quality of La Tebaida municipality by focusing on human-centric education, avoiding any form of educational instrumentalization.
10.Support the school in consolidating its capacity to generate peace within the school and its surroundings.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The school is envisioned as a peace center for the community, acting as a spiral radar enveloping families, neighbors, youth, and the entire educational community. Empowering communities through the school will strengthen peace and instill inherent value, extending its expression more broadly.
The project is based on the premise that peace is achieved through the integral and holistic development of the individual, encompassing inner peace and individual relationships with others. Peace is conceived as part of human well-being.
"Eduser for Peace" aims to raise awareness among young people about strengthening their moral and non-moral virtues, seeking their own well-being/peace, improving conflict resolution skills, enhancing a culture of peace within the educational community, and promoting a culture of affection, care, solidarity, and compassion. The project aims to create spaces for the well-being and peace-seeking of parents and community participants.
Peace is primarily achieved through conscious growth, allowing community members, individuals, and students to understand the deep origins of human and/or community conflicts and thus resolve them.
The project will be implemented through the following basic processes:
a.Individual sessions between a tutor-teacher and a student: Focusing on self-awareness, values, virtues, and integral development.
b.Group sessions (of 10 youth) with a facilitator to stimulate interest in cognitive development.
c.Group sessions (of 10 youth) in a trusting environment, addressing emotions, healing wounds, and achieving greater peace and well-being.
d.Emotional sessions for teachers: Providing a space for personal growth and emotional needs of teachers.
e.Peace circles with communities: Facilitating group meetings to transform conflict experiences into opportunities.
f.Parent sessions: Group sessions focusing on parents' well-being for self-discovery and healing.
PROJECT SCOPE:
In this preliminary phase, the project aims to address the needs of young people in the community, fostering hope and a desire for positive change. The project will work with five public schools in Quindío: four in La Tebaida and one in Pijao, implementing human-centric peace education. The methodology, implemented since 2018 at the Pedacito de Cielo school in La Tebaida by the Guerrand Hermes Foundation for Peace, has received recognition and awards. The project is also being implemented in Pijao and is undergoing training for global implementation, including in Kalimantan, Indonesia, and England.
PROJECT PARTNER:
The Guerrand Hermes Foundation for Peace, an international organization in Colombia since 2017, is a key partner. It has agreements with universities, including a partnership with the University of Wales for a Center for Peace and Human Wellbeing studies. The Pedacito de Cielo Educational Institution, through a letter of support, expresses its willingness to provide physical spaces for the "Eduser for Peace" proposal.
IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND PROJECT RESPONSE:
The project addresses identified community needs through comprehensive processes. The community, including youth, teachers, families, and the community at large, plays a vital role in the implementation and continuity of the project.
BENEFICIARIES:
The municipalities of Tebaida and Pijao are the beneficiaries of the project. Direct beneficiaries include 739 individuals (youth, teachers, and parents), with an estimated 10,200 indirect beneficiaries.
SUSTAINABILITY:
The "Eduser for Peace" program contributes to sustainability by fostering a culture of peace within communities. Self-awareness involving transformation, community involvement, theoretical foundations, successful pilot implementations, and support from various entities ensure the sustainability of the project.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION:
The community, including the educational community and members of the adjacent community, plays a central role in the implementation and continuity of the project. They act as key contributors to create a culture of peace, ensuring the lasting impact of the project.
FUNDING:
The project is funded by GHFP and seeks additional funding from the Rotary Foundation. The total cost of the project is USD$48,312. The Guerrand Hermes Foundation for Peace will contribute: $12,993 USD and $1,000 to the district. A request is being made to the Rotary Foundation for $18,985 USD.
CONCLUSION:
The project aims to address the urgent need for quality in various aspects of human life, tackling communication difficulties and conflict resolution within families, schools, and neighborhoods. Active community participation and engagement are crucial for the success and sustainability of the project.
For more information, please contact:
Names: Garrett Thomson and María Teresa Silva Guerrand Hermes Foundation for Peace NGO
Email: iscgarrett@gmail.com; rossana_mariateresa@yahoo.es; ghfp.col@gmail.com
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