Background

Sierra Leone is a Western African country endowed with abundant natural resources. Yet since the 1990s the UN has rated the country as one of the world's most underdeveloped countries. From 1991 - 2002, the country experienced one of the most horrific violent conflicts in West Africa in recent times.

Over fifty thousand people were brutally killed, half a million lived as refugees and about two million were internally displaced. Rural and urban infrastructure was also destroyed. The fragile peace environment in West Africa in recent decades has hindered the region's ability to realize its socio-economic, cultural and political potentials. Citizens of this region are mobilizing their human and non-human assets and capacities and building local and global constituencies to enhance social transformation, peace and political stability.

Against this background, Dr. Thomas Mark Turay and Mrs. Mary Hawa Turay founded the Centre for Development and Peace Education (cdpeace), (formerly known as the People's Animation Centre - Peace) in 1992, as a registered not-for-profit, non-governmental organization. The primary function of this rural community-based development centre has been to enhance the capacity of its learning partners to build sustainable cultures of peace, non-violence, justice, self-reliance, participatory governance and human security both locally and globally.

(photo of Thomas and Mary's first cdpeace building after destruction by rebels)

In collaboration with agencies including the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the African Development Foundation, Partners in Adult Education, Caritas Makeni and the Association for Rural Development (from 1993 - 2000), cdpeace enabled over 300 learning partners from community-based organizations and local NGOs to empower themselves in community-centred development, leadership, and peacebuilding. The centre was closed in 2000 due to the destruction of its office at Teko Road, Makeni by the rebels. In 2002, the local leaders of Mayagba Village (map), Paki Masabong Chiefdom, donated 23 acres of land to the founders for the construction of the centre. cdpeace is soliciting local and international support to live its dreams.  

Vision statement

cdpeace envisions a peaceful, non-violent, just and sustainable world.

Mission statement

Through capacity enhancement of peace educators, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, private sector, bi-lateral and multi-lateral institutions and corporations, cdpeace nurtures local and global cultures of peace, non-violence and planetary sustainability.

Goals

cdpeace's learning partners will enhance their capacity to:

• Live peacefully and non-violently
• Facilitate citizens' education for peace, non-violence and human rights
• Build cultures of peaceful schools and local communities
• Nurture principles, values and practices of a culture of peace and sustainable community-centred development in their education and development programs
• Collaborate with non-governmental organizations, government agencies and private institutions committed to the alleviation of rural/urban poverty in their societies
• Build local and global partnerships and knowledge networks for the promotion of socio-economic, environmental and cultural justice
• Promote life-long learning
• Integrate indigenous knowledge and practices into development approaches
• Promote sustainable participatory governance.

What We Do

View current projects

1. Centre-based education programs

(A) Diplomas and certificates in Community-Centred Development and Peacebuilding, for example:

• Training of Trainers for Education for Peaceful Schools and Local Communities
• Community Agricultural Extension Education
• Sustainable Environmental Development and Eco-Tourism
• Participatory Governance and Human Security
• Organization and Management of Community-Based Organizations
• Gender, Development and Peacebuilding
• Indigenous Community-based Approaches to Development
• Community Health and Development
• Appropriate Technology and Development.
• Agro-Forestry Development and ManagementSpirituality and Development
• Media and Peacebuilding
• Advocacy and Networking
• Women’s Leadership
• Youth Leadership
• Participatory Project Planning, Evaluation and Management of Development Organizations.
• Small Business Development and Management
• Savings and Micro-Credit Management
• Indigenous Sierra Leonean Languages and Cross-Cultural Training.

(B) Research, publication and dissemination with emphasis on developing scholarship in the Global South

(C) Consulting Services

2. Out-reach Educational Programmes and Services

Short-term custom-designed capacity building training courses/workshops for local and international partners

• Farm Tractor Services to Local Farmers’ Associations
• Food Processing Services to Local Farmers’ Associations, especially women’s groups
• Appropriate Technology Development for Women’s and Youth’s Income-generating Groups
• Exchange programs with local and international partners
• Internship programs for local and international partners.

Thomas Turay with Peaceful Schools International President, Hetty van Gurp

Thomas and former President of Sierra Leone plant seedling at Maso development project site