Mathare Peace Project
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Mathare Peace Project
The Mathare Peace Project supports young people and educators to develop practical skills in peace education, conflict understanding and constructive dialogue. The project aims to help participants face everyday tensions in schools and local communities in an open and constructive way. Through workshops and guided meetings, young people and adults strengthen communication, mediation, advocacy and problem-solving skills that they can use directly in their own everyday lives.
In the first year of the project, in 2026, 51 students will participate in the core training, together with teachers and local coordinators. The impact is expected to gradually extend to the participants’ families, neighborhoods and the wider community.
The project encourages young people to express their own perspectives and engage in a shared conversation on local and national issues that are relevant to them. Students produce media and artistic content, such as photographs, stories, audiovisual material, events and campaigns, that promote peaceful coexistence. Each student group designs and implements their own peace initiative, and the project culminates in the annual Mathare Peace Week, which provides a space for young people to share their work and strengthen a culture of peace.
Here’s Life CBO
Here’s Life Community Based Organization is a registered organization that supports widows and orphans affected by HIV and poverty in Mathare, a region where poverty, violence, and poor infrastructure make life difficult, especially for young people.
Ngota Opendo School Mathare and Cleark Educational Center, which operate under the Here’s Life Community Based Organization.
The organization’s director, Godfrey Were Khalonyere, is a youth mentor and community leader who supports young people through education, life skills, and safe spaces. He sees the Peace Project as an opportunity to connect young people, reduce conflict, and strengthen a culture of peace and leadership in Mathare.
Anna Lundén is a communications expert who specializes in peace work, including advocacy and training. She has worked with young people from a young age in development cooperation projects in Finland and abroad. In the Mathare peace project, Anna was particularly motivated by the opportunity to work with young people in communications and learn more about their ideas and ways of supporting peace in their communities.
Jaana Mioch, a founding member of Asante ry, brings strong development cooperation experience and a long-standing connection to Kenya to the project. She is guided by a belief in humanity and a better future for young people.
The Mathare Peace Project team introduces themselves! Who are involved in supporting young people’s own peace work and influencing skills in the hustle and bustle of Nairobi? Read what inspires our team members in their peace work with young people!
Godfrey Were is a youth mentor, community leader and the director of CBO Here is Life in Nairobi. He supports young people through mentoring, educational support, life skills and community guidance. Godfrey’s work focuses on strengthening youth leadership, responsibility and positive values, as well as creating safe environments for growth. In the Peace Project, he is inspired by the opportunity to bring young people together, strengthen dialogue and build more lasting peace in the community.
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Zack Oukoh works as a project manager at CBO, Mathare, Nairobi. He works closely with young people, creating safe spaces for discussion, mentoring, digital skills and leadership development. Zack organizes community meetings and supports young people’s own initiatives. In the Mathare project, he is inspired by amplifying young people’s voices and hearing about their creative ideas that transform challenges into collaborative opportunities on young people’s terms.
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Nebert Gitau Kisanya is a Peace Ambassador in Mathare North, Nairobi, working at Mogra Star Academy. He works specifically with schools and young people to promote non-violence, understanding and dialogue. Grassroots work, mentoring and discussion forums help young people address conflicts and find community solutions – any young person and community member can become a Peace Ambassador in Mathare if they wish
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Mathare Peace Project supports young people and educators in developing practical skills in peace education, understanding conflict, and engaging in constructive dialogue.
The aim of the project is to help participants address everyday tensions in schools and local communities in an open and constructive way. Through workshops and facilitated meetings, young people and adults strengthen their communication, mediation, advocacy, and problem-solving skills, which they can apply directly in their daily lives.
During the project’s first year of implementation, in 2026, a core group of 51 students will participate in the training together with teachers and local coordinators. The impacts are expected to gradually extend to participants’ families, neighborhoods, and the wider community.
The project encourages young people to express their own perspectives and to take part in collective discussions on local and national issues that matter to them. Students produce media and arts content—such as photographs, stories, audiovisual materials, events, and campaigns—that promote peaceful coexistence. Each student group designs and implements its own peace initiative, and the project culminates in the annual Mathare Peace Week event, which provides young people with a platform to share their work and strengthen a culture of peace.
