Project Title: Reinforcing community capacity for social cohesion through societal trauma healing in Bugesera District.
Position: Peace Building and Community Engagement Officer (1)
Duty Station: Bugesera District
I. Background
Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR) is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the government of Rwanda and its relevant agencies, local and international organisations as well as UN agencies to foster interventions that support psycho-social healing, peace building and reconciliation, restorative justice, crime prevention, human rights promotion and legal aid, intervening in emergencies as well as nurturing socio-economic empowerment in Rwanda in the wake of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi and its aftermath. Prison Fellowship Rwanda was founded on 01/07/1995, affiliated to the Prison Fellowship International in 1997. It was officially registered and recognized by the ministerial order no 037/17, of 23/10/2002, by the Ministry of Justice as a non- profit organization, published in the official gazette of the Republic of Rwanda in 2002.
Rwanda has identified mental health and trauma healing as areas of priority. A 2018 Mental Health Survey revealed high prevalence of mental health disorders, particularly among survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In addition, the country’s National Unity and Reconciliation Policy recognises “serious levels of trauma” as a major effect of the genocide that still weighs heavily on society today. It identifies the healing of psychological wounds as a guiding principle on which unity and reconciliation are established. High levels of trauma, anxiety and depression make it more difficult for people to trust and forgive each other. Trauma affects the ability to open up, receive and trust others, and it is a major cause of inter-community suspicions, especially between groups of genocide survivors and former genocide prisoners. This has limited people’s ability to cooperate in shared, mutually beneficial economic activities. Based on that observation, Rwanda’s 4th Health Sector Strategic Plan emphasises the need for holistic innovative programmes that simultaneously promote mental health service provision, advance social cohesion and support sustainable livelihoods.
With funds from European Union (EU), Prison Fellowship Rwanda will implement in partnership with Interpeace, a programme focusing on the linkages between psychosocial wellbeing, reconciliation and socio-economic development with a goal of reinforcing social cohesion and sustainable peace through scaling up community-based healing initiatives. The Programme is in line with, and will further inform, the Government’s policy of establishing community mental health services to improve the uptake among traumatised individuals of Government-funded mental health support.
In addition, the programme is tailored to the context of Rwanda and is based on a core partnership and the shared expertise of the Rwanda National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, Prison Fellowship Rwanda and Interpeace; in close collaboration with other key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice and Rwanda Correctional Services.
Currently Prison Fellowship Rwanda is looking for a qualified and highly motivated candidate of high moral character and professional integrity to fulfill the position of Peace Building and Community Engagement officer to strengthen local peace initiatives for social cohesion.
II. Key Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the District Manager, the Peace Advisor will undertake the following specific tasks:
- Coordinate planning, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of mediation and peace building training/interventions;
- Ensure that the trainings and peace building dialogues are taking place in line with the training manual/curriculum;
- Identify and train local mediators who are able to support non-violent conflict resolution mechanisms in the district;
- Accompany local mediators in applying their mediation skills to resolve existing conflicts at local level;
- Promote constructive peace dialogues between genocide survivors, former genocide perpetrators, youth from both backgrounds, leaders, and other community members for conflict prevention and social cohesion;
- Document and disseminate lessons learnt to support the use of mediation strategies for conflict prevention and transformation across the district;
- Be responsible for the recruitment of local mediators;
- Coordinate the recruitment of the programme participants;
- Monitor the personal and professional stability of the mediators and ensure regular pieces of training and supervision;
- Ensure that narrative field reports are timely provided as required by organization policies and are of high standards;
- Review the reports of mediators and give observations aiming at the improvement of the quality of implementation;
- Provide professional skills and support towards all income-generating activities to existing and graduate groups;
- Contribute to applying well researched and thought out interventions to restart livelihood activities and link groups with different stakeholders ( Private and public);
- Work closely with the researchers and M&E to monitor and evaluate the impact of the programme;
- Ensure cooperation with local actors;
- Conduct any other task requested by line managers in relation to a success of the programme.
III. Essential skills and qualifications
- A Bachelor degree in relevant field (Political or social science, peace or conflict studies, international relations, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or other related field);
- At least 5 years of experience of working in the field with direct engagement with vulnerable people;
- Experience with project implementation, preferably in the field of Peace building, psychosocial interventions, reconciliation and psychosocial support interventions;
- Demonstrated experience in community mobilization and attitude for field work at grass-roots level;
- Broad knowledge of care work issues, rural development issues, gendered power relations, and household economics;
- Ability to listen, to be diplomatic, flexible and a strong problem solver;
- Fluent Kinyarwanda and English, both verbal and written;
- Demonstrated experience in team management and planning;
- Experience in working closely with governmental/local authorities and other (inter)national NGO’s;
- Good ability to write clear and well-argued reports on programme outcomes and impact;
- Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint;
- Capacity to initiate new ideas and put them into action;
- An honest, reliable and very accurate person;
- Strong interpersonal and motivational skills;
- Working knowledge of French.
IV. Terms of employment
This is a full-time position for the duration of 16 months with possible extension. The Peace building and community engagement officer will be based in Bugesera and the position involves regular field-visits to areas where the programme will be implemented.
V. How to apply
To apply for this position please send your motivation letter, CV, Degree and other certificates and at least three recommendation letters to: recruitment.pfrwanda@gmail.com and mention the title of the position in the subject line of the email. The application deadline is the 05th of December 2020. The applications can be addressed to the Executive Director of Prison Fellowship Rwanda.
For more information about Prison Fellowship Rwanda, consult: www.pfrwanda.com
Done at Kigali on 10th /11/2020
Bishop Deogratias GASHAGAZA
Executive Director
Prison Fellowship Rwanda
