WOMEN FOR PEACE

on May 28, 2025

They were once neighbours. The enemies. Today, they stand together as sisters in peace.

This is the powerful and moving story of twenty extraordinary women (ten Borana and ten Gabra widows) from Manyatta Daaba, Adhi Huka, and Manyatta Jillo in Marsabit County.

These two communities, Borana and Gabra, share more than just a border.

They speak the same language.
They have intermarried for generations.
They’ve raised families together, herded livestock together, and celebrated and mourned side by side.

Yet between 2020 and 2023, deep-rooted tensions exploded into violence, dividing communities that were once as close as kin. The conflict tore through their villages, destroying homes, stealing lives, and severing long-standing relationships.

Each woman carries a personal story of unimaginable loss:

A husband or child was killed.
A home reduced to ashes.
Livestock looted; farms destroyed.
Whole families are displaced and scattered.

Grief, fear, and suspicion became daily companions. Drought and hunger only deepened the pain. Even today, many live with the lingering trauma of sleepless nights, flashbacks, and emotional wounds yet to heal.

But even in such darkness, hope began to rise.

RETO-AP saw not rivals, but resilient women, mothers, daughters, and sisters whose strength had been buried under sorrow. We brought them together not to reopen wounds, but to begin a sacred and painful journey of healing and reconciliation.

In safe, sacred spaces, they began to speak.
They cried.
They listened.
They forgave.

Through peace group trainings, trauma counselling, and courageous conversations, they shared stories long held in silence. They learned that healing begins not with blame but with understanding.

And then, something remarkable happened.
They chose to become ambassadors of peace.

Today, these twenty women walk together, Borana and Gabra side by side, village to village, home to home, bearing witness to the power of forgiveness. They host one another. Sit together over tea. Share laughter, tears, and hope.

They are no longer just survivors.
They are leaders and builders who cultivate farms together, manage savings groups, run small businesses, and raise children with a renewed sense of dignity and purpose.

Their message is bold and unforgettable:

“We will not let our children inherit hatred.
We are women of peace, and we are building a new Marsabit.”

From the ashes of violence, they are rebuilding not just homes but a future grounded in peace, empathy, and unity.

From the depths of grief, they are nurturing grace.
One step. One voice. One act of peace at a time.

#WomenForPeace #MarsabitStrong #RETOAP #ForgivenessHeals #CompassionInAction #FromPainToPurpose #BoranaAndGabraUnited