Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" Hosts Training in Peacebuilding and Conflict Management in Ruhango: The first session in a series of training about peacebuilding and conflict management/conflict analysis took place in Byimana Sector. MJCI-Shalom is a religious-based organization helping the community work toward a peaceful and prosperous future.
Uwineza Delphine, the facilitator of the training says: “These trainings are of great importance to the community because they help the population to understand that peacebuilding is a process that everyone can and should contribute to.” Through the trainings, participants understand that conflicts are normal, natural, and neutral; the outcome depends on how the conflict is handled. Once equipped with these understandings and concepts, participants are better able to handle family conflicts and strengthen their social relations as they work for a peaceful future starting from their respective families. The training took place over three days during the afternoon hours and the participants were grateful for the time spent together learning and sharing their daily experiences.
Pastor Eustache H. the President and legal representative of Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" reminded the participants of the training that work is one of the pillars of peacebuilding and conflict management. He said that when you are busy with your work, you do not have time to waste conflicting with your neighbors. He also reminded them that development doesn’t require a lot of money. Even if you invest a little, you can receive benefits based on your efforts, management, care, and behavior. He called them to join the community savings groups to learn how to work together, support each other, and prosper together as a united community. In his final remarks, Pastor Eustache reminded the participants that it is very important that those who want to develop and live peacefully should have an action plan together with their families. He promised that Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" will continue to follow up and help them evaluate the success of their accomplishments. 
It is crucial to talk about peacebuilding, conflict analysis, conflict management, and community development. These concepts work hand in hand and must be addressed together. This is the complete package that the MJCI-Shalom team takes to the community through our training. On the same day, Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" concluded the training about Gender Based Violence (GBV) for the same 75 participants of this community. This training also took place over three days in the afternoon hours. The participants were informed about different levels of violence including physical, economic, sexual, and emotional violence. Together with the participants, we discussed the different causes of gender-based violence and how to work against all kinds of violence in our families and the community. We used the “peace tree” and “conflict tree” frameworks, with participants committing to reference the peace tree in their daily lives. The President and Legal Representative of Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom," Pastor Eustache says that the participants are blessed to have these continuous sessions of healing for their respective families and the community. e told the participants that they should take what they learn and share it to bring healing to the wider society. He continued by promising that Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" is with them as they walk on this journey and that we will always be a good partner to Byimana sector as we work together to bring positive transformation amongst the population through work, talks, and trainings aimed at the welfare of the whole society starting at the family level.
During the welcome to the ES of Byimana, Pastor Eustache , shared with the audience that these two trainings are a part of the mission of MJCI-Shalom to build peace and development amongst people's family and community. He added that having peace and working for development also requires that we know how to take care of the environment and especially the soil which is a great heritage from our grandparents. We do not take care of it, it laughs at us when we are planting expecting to harvest! To this end, Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" is teaching people applied techniques for farming on a small scale with a high yield. MJCI-Shalom also continues to train people in different ways of money management because money is part of the main pillars of people's daily life today. Without money, life is difficult. In Rwanda, we are blessed that we have good leadership that makes sure that people's businesses are running safely and securely .
Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" was honored to be with the ES of Byimana Sector to show the leadership the results of our activities. We were glad to share with leadership that we have trained people that can contribute to the welfare of the community. Some of them can be the friends of family (Inshuti z'Umuryango) and assist local leaders in different programs as they are differently skilled.
The in-charge of cooperatives in the Byimana Sector appreciated what Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" is doing in Byimana and said that it is one of the main partners of the Byimana sector. She emphasized that all the programs of Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" are important for everyone in the society when valued and applied by the participants. She added that, as a partner of the sector, MJCI-Shalom is reaching even where the leadership is not reaching frequently and advocating for the people through these activities. She appreciated the participants who gave their time to these training and called for them to put their earned skills into practice for their own benefit first and then the whole society.
The ES of Byimana acknowledged Mission des Jeunes pour Christ Internationale "MJCI-Shalom" as a valued partner of the Byimana sector in building peace and development of the population targeting the well-being of all.
He taught the participants a sentence in English: "Education is not a preparation of life, but, education is life itself". He said that this sentence shows the value of education and shows that education can be found everywhere. He reminded the training participants that if they take seriously what they learned in these training sessions, they will be healthy and wealthy because they were studying. He emphasized that it is a shame to spend more than three days studying and go back home empty.
