To address and mitigate potential conflicts among South Sudanese refugees and Ethiopian host communities, ZOA has implemented a Peace Nexus approach: combining Food Security & Livelihoods interventions with several Peacebuilding interventions. These interventions in six refugee camps and four districts (woredas) in Gambella have highly contributed to improved relations between different people groups.
In October 2024, ZOA conducted an Outcome Harvesting exercise to document the results of the project intervention and assess the extent of its impact. This method focuses on identifying tangible behavioural changes among project participants, other stakeholders, and the broader community. The findings have been summarized in a Best Practice Paper, along with lessons learned to inform future Peace Nexus programming.
ZOA organised Community-Based Sociotherapy (CBS) groups, and supported the establishment and training of Peace Committees (PCs) and Community Cohesion Facilitators (CCF), youth sport teams and School Peace Clubs to foster positive interactions between different groups. ZOA also supported local government authorities and peacebuilding dialogues that were organized by the local authorities together with community leaders. Several Food Security and Livelihood interventions such as Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), fishery cooperatives, crop and vegetable production, and the construction of shops were implemented with the overarching aim to contribute to more market interaction between the diverse groups and in turn, building stronger positive relations.
Member of a Peace Committee in a refugee camp:
The Outcome Harvesting exercise has shown that relations between refugees and host communities have improved, but also among refugees, and among Ethiopians from different backgrounds. The school environment has become more peaceful and the local government has become more engaged in peace and conflict resolution. The mental wellbeing has improved and gender relations have become more equal.
