Peace is not an accident. It is built deliberately, carefully, and with the right people in the room. In December 2025, YARAC brought exactly the right people together for a two-day Capacity Building Training for key stakeholders in Kihang-Buhit Community, Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State.
Supported by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the SPRING Programme, the training was designed to strengthen social harmony, reduce farmer-herder tensions, and promote sustainable, peaceful livelihoods in a community that has long navigated complex inter-group dynamics.
A Room Full of Influence
What made this training remarkable was who attended. YARAC brought together traditional leaders, community leaders, landowners, agro-farmers, herders, and youth – the full spectrum of community influence. When peacebuilding training reaches this breadth of stakeholders, its impact multiplies. Leaders who leave with new tools and shared understanding can shift the culture of entire communities.
What Participants Were Equipped With
The sessions equipped participants with practical knowledge and skills across five critical areas:
- Cooperation and collaborative leadership — working across difference toward shared goals
- Non-violent communication — expressing needs and resolving disputes without escalation
- Peaceful coexistence — understanding and practicing the principles of shared community life
- Ethnic and religious tolerance — navigating diversity as a strength, not a threat
- Dialogue and conflict prevention strategies — tools for de-escalation and early intervention
The interactive format – group reflections, scenario discussions, and shared action planning – ensured that learning moved beyond theory into genuine conviction and commitment.
With the SPRING Programme’s support, YARAC continues to demonstrate that building peace requires investing in people and that the most durable peace agreements are the ones forged in community, not imposed from outside.