Pan African Center for Peace

About PAC ?

Motto: Tranforming the Mind, Molding the Heart

WHAT IS PAC FOR PEACE ABOUT?

We are a Non Profit making Volunteering Community based organisation in the Republic Ghana on the Buduburam Settlement with representation in Liberia.

The Pan African Center for Peace is the only organisation on the Settlement geared towards addressing and promoting Sustainable Peaceful, Repatriation, Reintegration and other Developmental initiatives through Capacity Building, Networking, Volunteering and Community Development..

We are the only organisation accepting and adjusting categories of Volunteers including Holiday Workers, Interns, Researchers, Study Abroad, Virtual Volunteering for short and Long Term.

As Women Empowerment and Child Protection is at the heart of our Mission, we have initiated a Loan Scheme Project in Pastry and Cake Decoration for Teenage girls.We promote Children and Women rights through Short term trainings and other empowerment initiatives.

Presently, we are in the process of establishing discussion Peace Forums in Three(3) Communities on the Buduburam Settlement inorder to discuss Peacebuilding and Repatriation among other topics. We are also planning to establish full Representations in Liberia including Monrovia - Gbarnga and Voinjama for 2008.

The Pan African College staff include full time and Part-time Volunteers and accept International Volunteers to support and improve our Programs.

SPEAK TO INCOMING VOLUNTEERS

Rene Mbuli is an International Volunteer from Cameroon who will be coming for the next six months to work with us in Buduburam. He has a background in International relations and Peace Building as well. If you will like to partner or know more about Renes' activities, please contact us.

Ian Walker is from the Yale University in the USA and will be coming for Research purpose with former Child Soldiers in Ghana and Liberia. His Volunteering activities will Workshops, surveys, focus group discussion among other activities to facilitate his Research. He is has a Psychology background and will like to speak to anyone for information exchnage and partnership.

SPEAK TO CURRENT VOLUNTEERS

Tim Macleod is a Psychology and International Development student from the Trente University in Canada and is currently in Africa as study abroad student. He has a passionate to work with former child soldiers and currently Volunteer with us in providing institutional Support and Counseling services among others. He will like to speak and support anyone interested in working for former Child Soldiers. Visit www.trentu.ca

Heather Gallison is a student from Alberta University in Canada currently studying International Educational. She currently work with us in implementing the Program, adult educationRope Newsletter and provide Institutional Support to the office. Visit www.ualberta.ca

Allison Roadburg is a social work student from McGille University in Canada and is currently Volunteering with us in teaching Social, Ngo Management to Community Based Organisation leaders. She is also teaching orphan and other vulnerable children in one of our partner schools. She is also developing the 50 - fifty women empowerment workshop on the settlement. Visit www.mcgille.ca

Lucinda Woodward Ph.D is a professor of Psychology at the Ball State University and currently facilitate the Trauma Counseling classes here on the settlement. She also provide basic therapeutic Counseling on the Camp. Visit http://www.bsu.edu

SPEAK TO PAST VOLUNTEERS

Samantha Feinstein was a student from the Huron University and facilitated classes and trainings here in the area of in the United KigdomPeace and Conflict Resolution. http://www.huron.ac.uk

Jessica Burkebkyle was from Hawaii University and also taught Peace and Conflict Resolution classes on the settlement for us and other organisations on the Settlement.Visit http://www.hawaii.edu

Ruth Barnes, James and others was from the Standford Law school in the USA and were here as group of visiting students to help in variety of ways. They conducted workshop and trainings for CBOs and groups on the settlement in the area of Gender Equality and Conflict Resolution.Visit http://www.law.stanford.edu

Semuteh Freeman was from Yale University and taught Peacebuilding classes for us and as well facilitated meeting with adult women on Peace as well. Visit http://www.yale.edu

Siebe Anbeek was from the Holland and faciliated workshops here for us in the area of Ethnicity and Conflict.

Trainings & Workshops

CAPACITY BUILDING TRAININGS

The Pan African Center for Peace provide capacity Building Training programs on weekdays and Saturday's only for a period of two to eight weeks. Participants for these trainings come from Community Based organisations, Schools, Churches, Institutions and the private Sector. Faciliatators for these programs are Local and International Volunteer who spare their time to work for Humanity. Classes are run for 4 hours weekdays starting 9am to 2pm including break.

Courses are Facilitated by both local and International Volunteers who provide few hours on saturdays and weekdays.Our activities include lectures, group discussions, group presentations among others We currently provide training in Four main areas:

Peace and Conflict Studies: Topics cover include: Overview of Conflict and Peace, Introduction to Human to Human Right, Bullying, Stereotype, Violence and its types.....

Counseling and Trauma Healing: Topics cover include: Introduction to Counseling and Psychology, Empathy, Trustbuilding, Emotions, Reframing, Verbal and Non verbal communication skills, Body language.....

Non for Profit Organisation Management: Topics cover include: Basic proposal writing skills, Constitutional Writing Project management concept , Advocacy, Lobby etc

Private School Management: Topics cover include: Introduction to Teaching and Classroom Management, Leadership concept in School management, The School Climate, Lesson Notes preparation and Presenation, Curriculum Design and Four steps of Teaching among others

Ghana Community Projects

Former Child Soldiers Counseling Project - We provide Counseling and Institutional support to former Child Soldiers and support their initiatives.

HIV/AIDS & STDS Awareness Project- We provide information flyers , discussional forums schools and Communities.

Peace Education & Human Rights Awareness - We teach Peace Education and Human Rights to Schools, youth groups and other teenagers.
Millenniun Dream Women Skill Training Project (Mildrew) - Loan Project:

We are presently managing a Women Skill training Project in the area of Cake Decoration and Pastry. These actvities are run three days a week on the settlement( Monday, Wednesday and Friday) starting from 8am to 2pm.Women are taught basic skills in cake making & decoration, home economics and Pastry. These women are young girls, windows, school drop out, among others. We are seeking Loan and Volunteer support for this project.

Community Mediation Forums:

We host community forums for a young people three days a week. Volunteers moderators listen to discussions on special selected topics/issues and advice in next meeeting. Issues discussed include Peacebuilding the way out, Health, Human rights etc. Volunteers are highly needed for this Project. No special skill is require but should have passion to discuss and address Peace issues. Junior & Senior High

School Counseling Project:

We provide group Counseling activities and training for senior and Junior high students. We currently covered five School on the settlement out of forty.Volunteers for this project will facilitate, organise in collaboration with various group of students on issues like anger management, Health Education and also provide individual Counseling Services.

Primary School Teachers Training Project

We run regular workshops for elementary and primary School teachers. The essence of this project is to create more human right awareness for both students and teachers. We discussed issues like Human Rights, Stereotype, Bias, Classroom management etc.

Children early learning Foundation School:
We run weekly academic classes at the Children Early Learning Foundation. This project is implemented by one of our current student and Volunteer staffs. Classses are run from monday to friday in a three classroom building and one office on the settlement. Most of the students are orphans, Street Children and low income families among others.

The Center run week days AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM for children with special needs.This program currently have (15) Fifteen students. This Program is run three days a week.We also run WOMEN ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM for Twenty (20) Students.We conduct clasess and activities in the area of; Peace Education, Creative Writing, Speaking, Drawing, Basic Math, Music etc

Volunteering Opportunities

Are you coming as a Holiday worker, Researcher, Intern,Experience Exchange or other Peace purposes? All is welcome. The work of Pan African Center for Peace is underpinned by the contribution of volunteers who provide assistance in both the operations and program components of our organization If you have skills that are not listed above but you think would make a valuable contribution to the centre please email us. Incoming International Volunteers must have a strong interest in refugee issues. You will need to be flexible and tolerant, show initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will encounter.

Current Volunteer positions available at PAC

Program Coordinator: Task Description:Raise fund on behalf of the Center, Represent during meetings with Cbos and help in signing other Financial documents in the absence of the Director, Edit Proposals, develop and implement long term projects.

Volunteer Coordinator: Task Description:Work alongside the local Volunteer Coordinator in providng in country orientation, Train and recruit new Volunteers, Update PAC websites/hosts pages relating to Volunteering opportunities, Help organise farewell parties and other outdoor events. Help in identifying new or interested Volunteer in PAC.

IT/Information Officer: Task Description:Provide IT training for PAC satffs and Students, Design PAC website and seek host organisations including possible donors in the IT area for Schools and other beneficiaries. Digitize Library resources and prepare quicklist for students in collaboration with Resource manager, Make inventary of all items and produce a serachable database for staffs.

Proposal / Grant Specialist: Task Description:Monitor all ongoing projects on the settlement, strategize new proposals for program sustainability, prepare , edit and raise fund for workshops, trainings and other creative peace events, Provide training in Proposal and grant writing for Staffs, Train various managers on report writing.Relate with Project Officer and managers for continuity of activities.

Course Director: Task Description:Develop Curriculum and outline topics for any of the ongoing programs, Develop and prepare a handbook for any of the ongoing programs, Provide Training of Trainers workshops for Course Directors, Provide Workshops, seminars and events for any of the ongoing programs, Seek, identify, resources for any program , Mark student evaluation papers and make reports.

Community Services Manager: Task Description:Coordinate all outdoor events with the Public Relations Officer, Create Sensitisation drives for public awareness on HIV/AIDS, Gender equality, and environment management, Help in Community mobilisation especially in carrying out cleaning up campaigns, iniatiate a food for Work project in Schools and organise workshops on Community development.

Children Teacher/s: Task Description:Teach Children with Special needs on the weekly basis, host meetings and discuss with parents on Children rights, Work with other schools in making follow up, Seek Scholarships, toys and gifts for Children, Carry children on weekly outdoor programs, Relate with project manager for continuity, Mark student evaluations and make progress report.

Women Education Teacher/s: Task Description:Teach Adult Women two days a week on Peace, Health, English, Basic maths and writing, Provide income generating support scheme for women initiatives, Provide counseling support for women groups, Develop curriculum and handbook on adult women education.

Partnerships & Links

The Center partner with lots of groups, organisations and individual consultants in implementing our activities. We also provide useful Links and strongly encourage varieties of groups to register with us or incorporate us on their Websites. The Pan African Center for Peace share what it does with other organizations. We network especially with: Ghanaian Groups, Universities, Institutions, Colleges, organizations, Consultants, Welfare Council, Institutions on Camp, Bi/Multilateral Agencies, International and Local Volunteering groups, Civil Society Organizations,NGOs, Mass Media and Private Sector .

A database of partner Organisations and Links is coming soon on this page. Keeping Visiting. Partners:

http://www.ikando.org/ - If anyone has been looking for an ethical and professional NGO in Ghana, then I can personally recommend Ikando and its leadership

http://www.idialist.org/- A "global clearinghouse of nonprofit and volunteering resources", offering a directory of volunteer opportunities and other resource

Donations & Loans

The Center is always seeking support in Kind or Funds. We are seeking use Computers, Photocopies, Toys, Stationeries, Books, Literatures among other Office materials. We also appreciate Loans from Charity organisations to help sponsor our Loans Skill trainings projects here for Teenage girls and mothers. We are also planning to establish a multi purpose Charity Internet Communication service on the settlement and Liberia to help in achieving the MDGs. Computer International UK promised Computers but we require funding for the transportation and establishment. This can be Loan or donation. Some Volunteers may decide to bring resources and other items as donations or personal use while coming. In such a case, you will have to inform us especially if they are large quantities. If they are little, you put them in a bag and the office will surely facilitate it clearance upon arrival. We also partner with clearance groups, consultants and bodies. If you will need more while you are here, we can help transfer some Money on your behalf.

Please contact us regarding any possible donation, Loan or Volunteering.