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CENTER FOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS
CGA in the Field: Africa
In addition to our global field intensive programs in South Africa and Ghana, CGA students
and alumni are engaged in their own efforts towards peacebuilding and development in
Africa. Their reports and images on the following pages highlight both the challenges facing
many African countries and the potential inherent in African people and resources.
KATIE WALTER: PEACEBUILDING IN LIBERIA
Last summer, for two months, I worked at the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation
with Cori Zaccagnino, another MSGA student. The Institute is part of the University of Liberia,
but also partners with NGOs and various government ministries on projects throughout the
country. During our time there, Cori and I were student consultants and had the amazing
opportunity to assist in the creation of peace education modules, to analyze data collected
on sexual gender-based violence, to conduct community trainings in conflict management
skills, and to lecture graduate students on peacebuilding and civil society, conflict analysis,
and conflict sensitivity.
Liberia is a fascinating post-conflict country emerging from a devastating civil war and
transitioning into a stable democracy. Liberians are making great strides in rebuilding
their country and dealing with the wounds of their past. I was fortunate enough to learn
from and practice peacebuilding with those who underwent the most challenging of life’s
circumstances – running away from bullets, living life in refugee camps, and coping with the
loss of family members.
This experience reinforced my desire to work on projects that deal with grassroots
peacebuilding and human rights promotion. I am forever indebted to everyone I met who
taught me to hope for a changed world. I am also incredibly thankful for the Workshop in
Applied Peacebuilding course at the CGA which prepared me for my first experience in
fieldwork.
At the Kofi Annan Institute for
Conflict Transformation, I was able
to participate in projects I never
dreamed of: working on peace
education modules for high school
students in Liberia; struggling
through grant writing with colleagues;
teaching civil society, peacebuilding,
and conflict analysis to university
students; and leading a workshop
on communication skills and conflict
for the community of Clara Town
as part of a pilot project. I also met
weekly with Clara Town and with the
university students to collaborate with
the community to solve some of their
development needs.
[10] scps.nyu.edu/cga
Katie with Jemaima, a high school student engaged in creating
peacebuilding workshops through the University of Liberia.