Peacebuilding efforts in Cameroon are reaching more corners of local communities. In Buea, a peace seminar introduced primary school students to the value of peace, while in Simbok, hundreds of women and residents gathered to discuss peace within their families and communities.

Another important development has been the emergence of women who, after receiving peace education themselves, have gone on to teach others. As participants become educators, Cameroon is laying the groundwork for peace education to continue and reach future generations.

600 Children Gather for a Peace Seminar at a Local Primary School

The Buea Peace Committee of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), officially established on February 27, 2024, held its first independently organized event at a local primary school on March 26 of that year. The event took place at G.S. Great Soppo 2, a public primary school in Buea, Cameroon.

Around 600 primary school students attended the peace seminar, along with Buea Peace Committee members and other adult participants. The committee introduced the children to the meaning of peace and the importance of respect and harmony.

Schools are places where children spend much of their time, build relationships, and learn how to live alongside others. Introducing the values of peace and constructive ways of resolving conflict at an early age can help children put those lessons into practice at home, at school, and in their communities.

Through its school outreach, the Buea Peace Committee connected with the next generation in its community. It continued these efforts through peace seminars at primary schools and activities linked to the International Loving Peace Art Competition.

Around 700 Gather for International Women’s Day: Building Peace Starts at Home

The message of peace shared with children also reached a wider community of local residents.

On March 8, 2025, the Simbok Peace Committee in Cameroon held a peace event at Simbok-Mendong Presbyterian Church to mark International Women’s Day. Around 700 people, including women and other community members, attended.

Participants discussed the importance of communication within families, mutual support among women, and solidarity. They also reflected on the role women can play in building peace within their families and local communities.

The family is where people form some of their closest relationships and share the routines of everyday life. When family members treat one another with respect and consideration and resolve disagreements through dialogue, those practices can also influence the wider community. The gathering offered participants an opportunity to connect the idea of peace with their own lives and relationships.

From Participant to Instructor: Peace Education Creates New Leaders

One notable development in Cameroon has been the emergence of women who have gone on to teach peace education after completing the training themselves.

From February 10 to March 28, 2025, IWPG held an online peace education program for 15 new members in Cameroon. Sessions were held twice a week and led by Ntansi Julienne, who had previously completed the Women’s Peace Lecturer Training Education (PLTE) program.

Having once taken part in the training herself, Julienne now stepped into the role of instructor, sharing what she had learned with other women. Her journey from participant to educator shows how local women are taking a more active role in carrying peace education forward.

Sylvie Kamasa, one of the participants, spoke about the importance of educating and empowering women as a means of bringing about social change.

“Only when women are educated in a peaceful environment and given opportunities for leadership and support can they become strong pillars of society,” she said. “By building peace within our families and supporting the DPCW, we can create a peaceful world.”

The program led to further interest in peace education. Of the 15 participants who completed the online course, 14 went on to apply for the formal PLTE program scheduled to begin in April 2025. Having learned about the value of peace, they took the next step toward becoming instructors themselves.

This progression—from attending a course to joining further training and eventually teaching others—shows how peace education can continue through the involvement of local women in Cameroon.

Learning Peace in Everyday Life and Passing It On

Across Cameroon, peacebuilding efforts are taking shape in schools, families, community gatherings, and educational programs. Particularly significant is the growing involvement of local women who, after completing their own training, have taken on teaching roles and helped prepare new participants. Their work shows how peace education can take root through the active participation of community members themselves.

In the next installment, we will explore how Cameroonian women are extending their work into international peacebuilding efforts. From Cameroonian women leaders taking the stage as presenters at the World Women’s Peace Conference to discussions on peace cooperation with local senior officials, the story follows their growing role in global peacebuilding and the expanding partnerships that reach beyond national borders.

Next Story ☞ [Peace Journey – Cameroon ④] Building Peace on the Global Stage: Cameroonian Women Beyond Their Communities

Previous Story ☞ [Peace Journey – Cameroon ②] Women Hand in Hand: Building a Network of Peace Across Local Communities