Last October, a group from Mwangaza flew from Arusha, Tanzania to Ruhpolding, Germany. There, on the blue Bavarian waters of Lake Chiemsee, they stayed on the island of Fraueninsel.

For nine days they studied nonviolent communication (NVC) in the oldest nunnery in Germany, founded in 722 AD. The Mwangaza representatives were joined by 40 others from around the world, including the Philippines, Ghana, India, Kenya, Uganda, and Germany.

The training was hosted by Dr. Gitta Zimmermann, a certified NVC trainer by the Center for Nonviolent Communication. For years now, Dr. Gitta has been a vital support to Mwangaza and the Safe School program. The program uses NVC as an important tool to create safe learning environments. Dr. Gitta mentors the Mwangaza staff, helping them learn NVC as they teach it to parents, teachers, and students. She has also hosted trainings in Arusha for Peace Club Coordinators and students.

For Johnson Laizer, communications specialist, the training was life changing. “Before this trip, I used to focus on the rules and grammar of NVC,” he says. “I was just ‘doing’ it. Now, I am living it.”

All 43 people invited to the training work with children. During their nine days together, participants shared presentations about NVC unique to their own settings and cultural contexts. For both Johnson and Salome Lally, senior program coordinator, this was their favorite part of the training.

“Usually, I am just a listener, but this time was different,” Johnson says. “Every person had to stand in front of the group and present a topic. I loved seeing the teamwork and courage of my colleagues. We worked as hard as if we were taking a big exam! The best part was the feedback. I used to think of feedback as criticism, but now I see it as a safe place to learn and become better.”

For Salome, sharing in groups was the perfect way to learn from one another. “I learned how to connect empathetically with myself and others to have more satisfying relationships,” she shares. “I will use the skills to empower teachers in our Safe Schools program to make connections and share power with students rather than using power over others.”

Phillip Wilder, advisor to Mwangaza, is also looking forward to using what he learned in his work in Tanzania. He reflects: “As we partner with teachers and parents and students to decrease physical and emotional violence in schools, these nine days offered deep learning about how to create peace within ourselves and within these Tanzania secondary schools.”

After coming back from Germany, Mwangaza staff put their learnings from the training into action by creating a virtual practice group for teachers. They meet three or four times per month and have teachers lead sessions. Like in Germany, it allows participants to share their own unique scenarios, help each other solve challenges, and learn from one another.

By deepening their knowledge of NVC, Mwangaza staff and teachers alike can truly embody what they teach Peace Club students: “Peace begins with me.”