Nurturing peace, the environment and our community volunteers

Building a more peaceful world

The highest number of conflicts since World War II occurred in 2024. But while some wars make the media headlines, others don’t, and they deserve not to be forgotten about and left behind. Conflicts such as those happening on the Kenya-Ethiopia border.  

But with your support, incredible strides are being made in peacebuilding in this region. People in conflict-affected communities are coming together to address long-standing sources of tension—such as inclusion, governance, and access to essential resources—that have been exacerbated by climate change. 

Safia, a medic from a farming family, is one such person. She has seen first hand the effects of worsening climate change, particularly droughts, on loved ones and patients.

“During the drought, the dam is so dry that we run out of water. I observe dehydration in my patients.” says Safia. 

Historically, water scarcity has aggravated tensions, and groups have fought over limited resources. During clashes, livestock is taken, and properties are broken into, an experience Safia is familiar with. 

“In the past, they destroyed everything in our house, including the fence and the toilet. We were sad. We lost friends and relatives,” Safia tells us. 

Galvanised by the conflict she witnessed, Safia decided to enrol in a peacebuilding training workshop delivered by VSO volunteers like Rahma. 

Safia learnt that truly listening to understand others is a fundamental element in resolving conflicts. 

“What I love about the training is how people from different tribes come together. Before, we couldn’t socialise well with other tribes. We had fear, and we had grudges,” says Safia. 

Unexpectedly, during the workshops, Safia forged a friendship with Aisha*, who grew up in a conflicting tribe. This new friendship helped them to foster unity in a fractured environment. Together, they take part in community initiatives. “Now we’re like a family. We do things, and we share things. Aisha is my biggest supporter,” Safia tells us.

In Safia’s words: “Peace is so important.  If there’s no peace, there’s no life”. 

Planting hope, one mangrove a time

In the Philippines, mangrove planting is a family affair, where the next generation is growing up learning to protect the land, ecosystems, and their homes from the effects of climate change. With an average of 20 typhoons a year, rising sea levels and ocean acidification, the Philippines is often cited as one of the countries most at risk from the climate crisis. 

Witnessing the devastating effects of climate change, families like Marlon, Grace, and their daughter Maria* decided to take part in mangrove restoration activities. With your support, they are allocated plots of land for mangrove planting. Marlon’s family is custodians of their own mangroves- responsible for nurturing and protecting the young trees as they grow.   

“To ensure the health and survival of the mangroves, we collect mangrove fruits and use them to prepare seedlings in peat bags. Once the seedlings have six or more leaves, they are ready for planting. We also conduct coastal clean-ups and replant mangroves regularly,” Grace tells us. 

VSO volunteers like Jonito have supported and provided them with tools and equipment to tend to their mangroves.

“We have given them black bags that we use to bag the 50,000 mangrove seedlings VSO has given us and some bamboo sticks. Also boots that families can use for planting in mud and marsh-like conditions,” shares Jonito.   

Families like Marlon’s are seeing first hand how this overlooked climate superhero can shield their shores, strengthen their communities and restore the natural world around them. 

“Living in our community, I now feel safe because the mangroves absorb the impact of storm surges, protecting both our homes and the population. Our community also relies heavily on subsistence fishing for our income. The mangrove sanctuary provides a healthy environment for marine life, resulting in more fish for us to catch,” Marlon tells us. 

By involving the entire family, this initiative also goes beyond addressing climate change in the here and now; it becomes a shared effort to deepen awareness of the climate crisis for the future as well. As the roots of the mangroves grow stronger and the branches extend their reach, so too does the continuation of tackling climate change. 

Growing the green workforce of the future 

In Nairobi, Kenya, an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of waste is produced daily.¹ Waste management and a lack of awareness about waste are major problems that cause environmental degradation. Youth unemployment is another big problem in Kenya. Youth make up 35% of the Kenyan population, but 67% of them are unemployed ².  

But young people in Nairobi are rewriting the script by taking part in waste-picking initiatives. This work empowers youth to transform their surroundings — cleaning up their communities one item at a time, while earning a livelihood and building a brighter future. 

After losing many of his young friends to crime, Rooney from Nairobi dared to dream of a different way and decided to create a youth startup group that now has 156 members and that he leads. 

“What motivated me to create this group was that a lot of friends became involved in criminal activity as there is a lack of economic opportunities in the area. So, we decided to form a group so you can solve two things at once. Solve issues in our community by giving people jobs, at the same time, make our community clean,” Rooney explains.

Rooney took the initiative to attend training sessions delivered by VSO volunteer Josephine, where he learnt life skills, including budgeting, preparing business plans, and writing proposals. He then shares this knowledge with members of the group, empowering and upskilling them, in turn, sparking others. In addition, Rooney and the members received PPE to protect them from hazards at the dumpsite. Rooney also manages the buyback centre, where waste is sold. 

“VSO put us in contact with businesses like TakaTaka Solutions and Mr Green who buy from the buyback centre, which gives young people more market opportunities,” Rooney explains. 

“Thanks to Rooney’s role in fostering these market opportunities, young people are getting more money for their plastics than before,” Josephine tells us.

By leaving VSO a gift in your Will you're promoting justice, peace and joy for all, not just the few. 

*Pseudonyms have been used to protect the identities of those mentioned.  

Footnotes

1. Circular Economy: A climate action aligned approach to Sustainable Waste Management in Nairobi.

2. Youth Employment.