Building Peace Hand in Hand with Resilience

In Libere Kebele of Nyangatom district, South-west Ethiopia region, the determination of people like Nakudor Etaro, Kuraz Maya, and Lokale Elikole is redefining what resilience and peace mean in one of the most conflict-prone and climate-vulnerable regions of the Horn of Africa. These three individuals are active members of a Community Action Group (CAG) formed under the SPREAD project — Strengthening Integrated Peace, Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction for cross-border communities in the Karamoja Cluster.

What sets this project apart is its deliberate fusion of peacebuilding with resilience-building, proving that addressing conflict and environmental vulnerability must go hand in hand to create sustainable change. Nakudor, Kuraz and Lokale shared their experiences offering insight about the impact of this transformative work.

Libre Community Action Group: A Community-Driven Path to Peace

Twelve members were democratically elected by their community to form the Community Action Group (CAG) in Libere Kebele. Lokale Elikole, the group’s vice president, recalls the impact of the training delivered by the Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC) – one of the consortium partners in the project:

These Action Groups, also known as Peace Committees, are not isolated efforts. In total, 10 CAGs were established — five in Nyangatom and five in Dassenech Woredas — involving 120 members. Each group received intensive training on peace dialogue and facilitation of community-based discussions. They developed tailored action plans to address local conflict drivers, gender-based inequalities, and other peace-related concerns.

Kuraz Maya, a member of the action group, emphasizes their weekly meetings to assess emerging tensions and prevent escalation:

“When cattle are stolen — often a major trigger for violence — we use our network to track and return them peacefully, avoiding revenge attacks.”

Cross-Border Dialogues for Lasting Impact

Recognizing that conflict and natural resource disputes often transcend administrative boundaries, the SPREAD project actively promotes cross-border cooperation. Lokale shares:

“We established inter-community networks with other action groups in Nyangatom and Dassenech, as well as with CAGs across the border in Kenya and South Sudan. Together, we address shared conflict issues through dialogue and joint action plans.”

These exchanges foster mutual understanding and collaboration across ethnic and national divides, creating new pathways for peace that are locally owned and context specific.

As a woman in the CAG, Nakudor Etaro brings a vital perspective:

“Three years ago, while taking our cattle to water, we were ambushed. A friend was shot and killed. That incident triggered a larger conflict that claimed many lives. I’ve seen firsthand the horror of violence.”

Nakudor voice carries the weight of lived experience. She adds:

Bridging Peace with Environmental Resilience

Peacebuilding efforts alone are not enough. To tackle the root causes of resource-based conflict, the project integrates natural resource management and livelihood development. Nakudor and Lokale are also part of a 75-member fodder production group, supported by the project. The initiative involves training, providing drought-resistant fodder seeds, and community land preparation.

“Fodder production means our cattle can graze locally. We no longer need to go far, risking theft and conflict. Plus, it brings people together around a shared goal.” Lokale notes. Nakudor adds: “We used to go as far as Turkana and Surma in Kenya during dry seasons. Now, we practice rotational grazing and fodder storage, allowing us to sustain livestock without having to cross boarders to feed our cattle.”

Already, over 80 hectares of community land has been cleared and used for fodder. 170 hectares of degraded rangeland is under active restoration, guided by land-use plans combining indigenous knowledge and scientific approaches. This not only increases agro-ecological resilience but reduces tensions over scarce resources.

Women and youth leading the Way

The project prioritizes the inclusion of women and youth in decision-making around peace and natural resource governance. Their participation ensures the sustainability of agreements and interventions, while empowering them as change-makers.

“I want to see economic integration between communities,” says Lokale, “which would reduce conflict even further. We need to build shared prosperity.”

To complement peace and resource interventions, SPREAD supports cross-border market linkages and value chain development. Two market centers have been identified for rehabilitation and will be equipped to improve access, food hygiene, and post-harvest management. These efforts are designed to stimulate entrepreneurship and income generation, particularly for women and youth, reinforcing long-term stability.

A Model of Synergy and Collaboration

This unique approach — combining peacebuilding, natural resource management, and livelihood development — is a testament to the collaborative synergy between project activities and partners.The SPREAD project, funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Danida), is proving that peace and resilience are mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development.