I’m in the car with Rose, and she starts telling me a beautiful story, started long time ago…

“In the past, especially in Kireka where we work, it was common to see men drunk even during the day – sometimes even the women. Alcoholism was everywhere, and with it came domestic violence.
Now things have changed. People have learned to face their problems. There’s no magic formula to change society, but when people discover their own value – when they realize they are important, no matter what – they begin to create peace and serenity around them.
Frustration, that feeling of being wrong or out of place, often leads to violence, misunderstanding, and conflict. It all starts with the discovery of one’s own value: understanding that we are never wrong. We are all equal, different of course, with our flaws – but never wrong. Accepting ourselves and others is the first step toward peace.
Slowly, men and women from different tribes and religions began to live together peacefully, to support each other. It started with just a few people, and then the change spread like a ripple.
When men came home to find their wives and children at peace, something softened in them too. The happiness of the women became contagious. They were no longer alone – they had friends, a group, a community:
It all began around 1994, when women started playing football. They told their husbands, ‘You stay home with the kids today.’ The men, curious, began to come and watch. At first, the women didn’t know how to play – they fell, stumbled, laughed – and the husbands started cheering for them. In the evenings, they taught them how to play, spending more time together.
Our football field was near the police station, and soon the officers began to ask,
‘Can we bring our wives too?’ The idea spread. Playing together became a form of therapy – one that brought calm and joy to more and more people.
Because serenity is contagious.
Without even realizing it, everyone became part of the group.
The football matches were the beginning of a journey that continues today – a journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and connection.”
Peace is a path we walk every day, through small acts of inclusion and compassion

-Giulia, Communication Officer MPI