A. Reflecting on One Year of the CONNECT Project: Building Peace in the Great Lakes Region
In June 2023, a consortium of four dedicated organizations came together to embark on an ambitious journey: to scale up the Community-Based Sociotherapy approach (CBS) in the Great Lakes Region and foster peace in communities. The project, named “CONNECTing for Peace, or simply the CONNECT project, has made remarkable strides since its inception.
The Institute for Community Based Sociotherapy (ICBS), Community Based Sociotherapy Rwanda (CBS Rwanda), the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Byumba Diocese (EAR/D-Byumba), and the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Uganda (TPO Uganda) have joined forces in this transformative initiative. By combining their expertise and resources, these organizations have been able to implement and scale up the CBS approach, creating positive change across the region.
A Journey Rooted in History
The roots of the CBS approach in Rwanda can be traced back to 2005 when it was developed as a unique approach that integrates Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) with Peacebuilding (PB). This method leverages the power of group therapy to foster peaceful relationships and establish peer-support structures. These, in turn, lead to improved psychosocial well-being and contribute to socio-economic development at the grassroots level.
Over the past year, the CONNECT project has built on this foundation, working tirelessly to achieve its overarching objective: to contribute to peace in communities in the Great Lakes Region by implementing and mainstreaming a locally developed and locally led integrated MHPSS/PB approach.
Achievements and Milestones
The first year of the CONNECT project has been marked by significant achievements. Here are some of the highlights:
Capacity Building: Extensive training programs have been conducted to equip local facilitators with the skills and knowledge needed to lead sociotherapy sessions. CBS Rwanda has trained 164 facilitators, EAR Byumba has trained 55 facilitators, and TPO Uganda has trained 32 facilitators in Gulu and 20 in Nakivale. These facilitators are now at the forefront of driving change within their communities.
Therapeutic Groups: Numerous social groups have been established, providing safe spaces for individuals to share their experiences, support one another, and collectively work towards healing and reconciliation.
Impact on Well-being: Early evaluations indicate a positive impact on the psychosocial well-being of participants. There have been reports of improved relationships with family and community members, and a renewed sense of hope for the future.
While the first year of the CONNECT project has been a success, there is still much work to be done. The consortium remains committed to deepening the impact of CBS and expanding its reach to DRC and Burundi.