Here’s a great story of hope from a country that has seen its share of tragedy in recent months. An article from last month’s Christian Science Monitor profiled Stellamaris Mulaeh (above), a young Kenyan women who is spearheading grassroots conflict resolution efforts in her home country. 

Before the recent post-election crisis, Mulaeh founded the 65-member Peace Working Committee of Maseno University – a campus-based group which that students in conflict resolution skills. After the recent violence broke out, the Committee broadened its work throughout Kenya, particularly in the Narobi slum of Kibera, which was a flash point for ethnic clashes. Based on the success of her efforts, Mulaeh is planning to hold a summer conference to promote further reconciliation.

Mulaeh’s Peacemaking CV is truly impressive. She is also Pax Romana‘s national coordinator for peace-building in Kenya and holds several postions in the World Conference of Religions for Peace.

For those of us who regularly read the news about crisis points like Kenya, I think its enormously important to educate ourselves about individuals such as Stellamaris Mulaeh.  I suspect there are many more like her out there: inspiring examples of individuals committed to defying hopelessness around the world…