CWS supports peace education in rural Pakistan
Photo: Chris Herlinger/CWS
|
Pakistan, a country of 165 million people in the northwest shoulder of the Indian sub-continent, is beset with serious challenges. A third of its people live below the national poverty line, half the adults are illiterate, 45% of the people lack adequate sanitation. Equally challenging, though, is Pakistan’s societal violence.
CWS-Pakistan is working with local partners in rural Pakistan to promote a culture of peace and understanding through the introduction of a peace curriculum, beginning with 25 teachers and 400 primary school children at schools run by local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The goal is to nurture a culture of peace through classroom "peace laboratories" via 1) the development of a curriculum that imparts knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote a culture of peace; 2) workshops that allow teachers to develop their skills in peace education; 3) students engaging in activities that encourage cooperation, consensus-building, and reflective listening--skills they need to meet and resolve different types of conflicts.
Participants--both students and teachers--will be able to formulate strategies for incorporating peace considerations into different activities of their schools. Further, they will be equipped to disseminate and share their acquired knowledge and skills with families, friends, and the broader community.
This initiative is made possible in part by the Christian Church (Disciples) Week of Compassion.