Stop Conflict. Save lives.
40 per cent of conflicts will restart within 10 years of a peace treaty being signed. 90 per cent of the people who die in those conflicts are not armed forces, but civilians, many of them children. We need to stop these conflicts from restarting, to stop people from dying.
Peace Direct funds local peacebuilders to build lasting peace.
| Our vision | Who we support | How we find them | Their impact |
|---|---|---|---|
Our vision is a world where the work and knowledge of local peacebuilders is central to all strategies for managing conflict.
Our mission is to fund local people who are working for peace in their communities.
It makes sense to act before a conflict leads to a full blown humanitarian crisis, and to do that we need to listen to the local people who are there on the ground and can see the warning signs.
Practical:
|
We find and fund committed, pragmatic and effective organisations and individuals working at the frontline of conflict or potential conflict. |
Local:
|
We think local, and act local. The most effective way to prevent and end conflict is through the knowledge and activities of those living and working in conflict areas. We champion local heroes as the best judge of how to achieve rapid and long-lasting peace. |
Vocal:
|
We support, promote and publicise the work of local peacebuilders, as it is critical their message is heard and their knowledge shared. We connect peacebuilders with journalists, policy makers, politicians, the public and anyone else who can help their cause. |
Principles.
We listen to what local peacebuilders say is needed to deal effectively with conflict, and aim to fund them to deliver programs that they have prioritised.
Non-partisan:
We fund people and organisations that bring different groups together, not those that work only one side of the conflict.
Committed to action:
We understand the urgency in conflict situations and focus funds on work that will have a tangible effect on the ground.
Valuing the personal:
We create and value personal relationships with those we fund, between those we fund and our supporters, as well as between those who work for Peace Direct, whether as staff, Trustees or pro bono.
Commitment to change:
We are working to build an environment in which, when considering conflict, people first ask: ‘What can local people do? And how can we support them?’
Integrity and transparency:
We do not undertake work simply because funding is available. Our work is coherent and based on what we believe is needed. We are honest and open with each other, our donors, and those we fund.
We look for individuals and organisations who live in the conflict area, who already have a track record of peacebuilding, but who need funding to do more.
 |
 |
| Ashima is working with Hindu and Muslim women to bridge the divide, share experiences and learn about their rights. She links these groups into a single collective voice, for women and for peace in Kashmir More >>
|
Bhoraj has earned himself respect across society; from the poorest communities to the police and army chiefs. Despite death threats he remains committed to building peace in Nepal. More >> |
 |
 |
| Henri has rescued over 150 child soldiers from militia groups in DR Congo and is helping them to be accepted back into their communities and to develop sustainable livelihoods. More >> | Dishani is working with groups of young people to build understanding between ethnic and religious groups after 25 years of civil war in Sri lanka. More >> |
We find them through networks, visits to the field, recommendations and through contacts from our Insight on Conflict website.
We expect a track record of effective peacebuilding, and a clear plan of what they can achieve with more funding, and they need to be completely committed to non-violence.
We give local people the funds to carry out the work they know is needed, not to carry out a plan devised by an overseas donor. That’s where funding from Peace Direct can make a real difference, small amounts of money can go a very long way.
“£100 from Peace Direct that I can use for what is really needed, is worth £100,000 to deliver a programme that a donor has devised” Min Shali, Nepal
“Working with youth you need a very flexible funding partner – who can respect the process and the nuture the ideas as they emerge. The only organisation I know that does this is Peace Direct, I am blessed to get to know them.” Dishani, Sri Lanka
Peace Direct challenges the conventional wisdom that the solutions to conflict lies with outside powers – the UN, external mediators, Western NGOs.
All of these have a part to play, but they won’t create a peace that lasts unless insiders – local people – are working alongside them. Building peace means building from the bottom up – in the end it is local people who have the biggest stake in any peace process – it is about where they live and where they raise their families.
The people we fund have made real lasting achievements for peace.
In Nepal local Maoists forcefully overran a local health centre, leaving three villages with no access to basic medical needs and defying the orders of senior Maoists. Bhoraj Timilsina held three negotiation sessions, but the only response he got was threats to kill family members of those who protested. By using his media connections he drew attention to the situation and a national story broke. The Maoists left quietly in the middle of the night.
