Aegis Trust 2021-2025

This past year, Aegis Trust through the Action for Sustainable Peace, Inclusion, Rights & Equality (ASPIRE) program have consolidated and built upon on the achievements made from the previous years (Inception period and and year one). Highlighting on the key successes registered per the boundary partners respectively: 1. Boundary partner1: Teachers and school leaders. Twenty two Peace and Values Education (PVE) workshops were conducted engaging 703 individuals. All trained boundary partners are provided with teaching and learning material. The trainees were all introduced to the Ubumuntu Digital Platform (UDP) equipped on how to explore the platform and use its content. Worth noting are the innovative ways of teaching that are being adapted by the teachers in their profession when imparting PVE. A case study is given of Hirwa Gisele who is a beneficiary teacher of the program from Group Scholare Nduba in Gasabo district, decided to add recreational games in her teaching in the form of warm up games which strengthen the students ability to learn how to study and live in harmony with others. The teachers are also adapting different perspectives that are underlying causes of tension. An case study is presented where Gisele together with other teachers from the same school created a peace club with the objective to prevent unwanted pregnancy and fight drugs and alcohol use in young students. Gisele and her peers closely monitor emerging challenges for students and propose solutions. 2. Boundary partner2: Parents. By engaging parents in the ASPIRE program, Aegis Trust intend to develop a personal commitment to principles of non violence, inclusion and preventing inter generational trauma from them to the younger generation. During this calendar year, ASPIRE equipped parents with knowledge, skills, methodology and attitudes that helps them deliver Peace and Values Education (PVE) in their homes and community. Quantitatively, the numbers of the parents engaged also increased. A few instance, six Peace and Values Education workshops were conducted engaging 149 parents (56% female and 44% male) Three teacher parent dialogues were organized in engaging 195 participants (52% parents and 48% teachers) which raised awareness about parenting and identified emerging challenges in the society including the growing risks of spreading inter generational trauma. Through these P.T.As the participants highlighted the importance of combined roles in shaping the positive values and skills of future generations. Some of the modules included lessons on active listening, nonviolent communication and the principles of gender equality. These are all unique elements that make the ASPIRE program to stand out. 3. Boundary partner 3: Schooling and non schooling Youth The ASPIRE Program also targets the youth within the framework as key stakeholders of peace. Aegis Trust has conducted a youth champions' program crafted to empower targeted young individuals with essential skills, positive values, resources, and ongoing support. The program has also enabled youth stakeholders to comprehend, identify, and effectively counteract processes that contribute to violence within their communities. Through youth engagement eighteen peace clubs were established following the Peace and Values Education training for Youth champions, engaging more than 900 youth. There were also exchange programs between previously trained youth with the newly trained cohorts with the intention of creating sustainability of this youth focused outcome. Aegis Trust has also created youth networking events where 214 young people (48% female and 52%male). Through these platforms youth are given an opportunity to discuss and share ideas such as tackling (i) the Genocide ideology (ii) countering consequences derived from the Genocide, (iii) taking action on climate change and environmental challenges. These new approaches to varying thematic issues by Aegis Trust also speaks to the idea of blending the conflict prevention ambitions with modern day challenges, in Rwanda that are underlying causes of conflict. 4. Boundary partner4: Decision makers and Researchers This year the ASPIRE program increased its knowledge and expertise base within decision makers and researchers. The program has managed to increase knowledge and expertise to researchers and empowered them to carry out quality peace related research on specific and research themes that are pertaining to the most pressing issues in the Rwandan society such as preventing inter generational trauma by bridging the inter generational gap, inter generational reconciliation through dialogue, masculinity and gender relations as a factors in conflict management. These papers were produced by renowned academicians and practitioners in Rwanda such as Professor Agee Shyaka, Dean at the Faculty of Conflict Management, National University of Rwanda. Professor John Gasasira, National University of Rwanda Mukandori Francine renowned psychologist and gender equality expert and Dr. Darius Gishoma, Division Manager, Mental Health Division at Rwanda Biomedical Center. The evidence produced has been presented to various decision makers with the hope that they will contribute to effective policies and programs. At the onset of this research component of the contribution, a research consultation campaign was organized, engaging 202 researchers, decision makers, educators and young people (50% female and 50% male). The campaign helped defining key themes that were subject of all research activities of ASPIRE's second year of implementation such as, mental health awareness as a means of preventing inter-generational trauma, gender dynamics and their roles in conflict management, the role of youth in promoting peace values. The Embassy was has also managed to participate in three different events where these researchers present their findings to stakeholders, including decision makers. The most engaging one was a day's conference titled Bridging the Generation Gap: Documenting and addressing the traumatic legacies of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. What was interesting about this program was the integrated approaches being adopted by the researches and their findings. An example was on mental health, a research presented by Dr. Darius. Gishoma, Division Manager, Mental Health Division at the Rwanda Biomedical Center. During his exposition he highlighted the work that Rwanda Biomedical Center is doing in treating mental health cases associated with inter generational trauma. Traumatic episodes increase by 93% during the commemoration 611 individuals were treated across the country from various commemoration sites, during the commemoration period of 2022. He also presented scientific evidence of a genetic enzyme transferred from mothers to their children who were traumatized during and after the genocide against the Tutsi called Neuroendocrine. This enzyme is prevalent among their offspring, causing lifelong high alertness among the children. Such data was made possible by the research component of ASPIRE.

The proposed contributions overarching objective is to 'Contribute to building the conditions for a peaceful, cohesive and inclusive society through working directly with teachers, parents, youth, and decision makers'. Through Peace Value Education (PVE), Aegis Trust and its cooperation partner Radio La Benevolencija (RLB) is seeking to achieve the following outcomes: Outcome 1: Teachers and School leaders understand, recognize and can teach about processes that lead to identify-based violence; they have developed positive social and emotional skills and are able to incorporate teaching these into their educative practice. Outcome 2: Youth develop their critical thinking, social and emotional skills, and positive values. This leads to them understanding, identifying and counteracting processes that lead to social divisions and identity-based violence, taking personal responsibility for the impact of their thoughts, speech and behavior on themselves and others, better managing their own mental health and well-being, and better resolving conflicts with peers, family and others. Outcome 3: Parents experience positive personal change and greater inner peace and social trust, and develop a personal commitment to principles on non-violence, inclusion, and being active by-standers. Outcome 4: Decision-makers engage with research based-evidence informing their policies and practice.