The United States government denied entry to the six (two each from Kenya, Somalia and Somaliland). This was ironic, given that a federal agency, , was paying for their training.

The stated reason for exclusion was that the women might overstay their visas, says Jenner. That allegation 鈥渨as more upsetting to them than that they were denied visas,鈥� adds Jenner, who found all six women 鈥渃ompletely committed to their countries.鈥�

The women, ages mid-20s to early 40s, included peacebuilding-organization workers, an educational journalist, and a trauma-healing counselor. Some had been war refugees as children 鈥� a history belying the ebullient smiles in photos showing them with their American instructors, all wearing Somali clothing.

All participants in this program need a university degree before they can be admitted to WPLP [Women鈥檚 Peace Leadership Program], something not easy to obtain for many Somali women. Thus, says Jenner, these women needed to be very determined and passionate about getting an education despite often-difficult circumstances.

Jenner, Rhodes and Docherty devoted two weeks in September and October 卢鈥� amid a busy semester on 91短视频鈥檚 Harrisonburg, Va., campus 鈥� to teach the women in Hargeisa, Somaliland鈥檚 capital. Commercial flights to Hargeisa from Nairobi had just been discontinued, limiting the 91短视频 teachers to 鈥渓owest priority鈥� seating on United Nations flights.

Docherty explains that WPLP is designed to create a network of women peace leaders within a specific country or region, who can 鈥渞elate to

one another as 鈥榣ost sisters from the same clan,鈥欌�� while helping transform their region鈥檚 conflicts.

The first stage of the women鈥檚 program 鈥� initially conducted for 12 other women at in May and June 鈥� consisted of two six-day courses. In 鈥淐onflict Analysis,鈥� taught by Rhodes, the women in Hargeisa acquired tools for understanding problems. 鈥淪trategic Peacebuilding,鈥� taught by Docherty, helped them plan interventions.

They鈥檙e now finishing activities and papers begun during course sessions. Those completing the 15 credit-hour program will receive graduate certificates.

鈥淚t is a privilege to interact with and teach women who have been brought up during a time of civil war,鈥� says Rhodes. 鈥淚鈥檓 learning a great deal about what gives these women motivation for peacebuilding and about how wise, strong and resilient they are.鈥�

Rhodes felt buoyed by the women鈥檚 hopefulness. They had 鈥渉ope for security and stability, hope for more women鈥檚 participation in decision making, and hope for a peaceful Somaliland and Somalia in the future.鈥�

Somaliland is a self-declared, but internationally unrecognized, state that broke off from northern Somalia to form its own parliamentary government in 1991. It enjoys more stability than war-torn Somalia, which has struggled to establish a functioning government (though Jenner says the WPLP women consider its new president, who has himself attended SPI, to be promising). Since earlier visits, Jenner has seen former refugees returning to Somaliland, and the building of shopping centers and high-rises, though extreme economic disparities remain.

Jenner says the six were 鈥渟uch fun women,鈥� yet deeply committed. Even within a patriarchal culture, 鈥淭hey can be spokespeople for the women who don鈥檛 have the ability to speak for themselves.鈥�

In Somali culture, she adds, 鈥淚n theory, women have quite limited power. In practice, it鈥檚 like any society鈥� 鈥� widely varied. Women, for example, often resolve family disputes.

The 12 program participants on campus in mid-2012 came from Liberia, the South Pacific and Somalia. Before her death in a 2011 accident, former SPI student and teacher Dekha Ibrahim Abdi had advocated for a women鈥檚 program, while master鈥檚 degree alumna and served as a major inspiration.

The program is expected to grow gradually, says Jenner, depending upon the ability of regional women鈥檚 networks, or cohorts, to build local organizational support and secure sources of funding.

Somaliland lies within the physical borders of Somalia, but declared its independence from the nation in 1991 due to broad civil unrest in the rest of the country.

91短视频 and a university in the African nation of Somalia are collaborating on an exchange program as part of a plan to boost peace efforts in the troubled nation.

91短视频 and the University of Hargeisa in Somaliland, a region of Somalia, have agreed to a cultural exchange of faculty.

Somaliland lies within the physical borders of Somalia, but declared its independence from the nation in 1991 due to broad civil unrest in the rest of the country.

Though it held elections and has a democratically elected government, the international community still considers the region a part of Somalia.

Experience Helped Win Grant

The partnership between the two schools will involve visits by instructors from both universities to each other’s campus over the next three years, said Amy Potter, associate director for the Practice Institute, a branch of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at 91短视频. At both sites, staff from each school will teach classes in conflict resolution to faculty and students, said Potter.

The project will use funds from a $400,000 grant from Higher Education for Development (HED), a program sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development, said Potter. 91短视频 received the grant after responding to a notice by HED earlier this year seeking a university willing to participate in the exchange program.

91短视频’s past involvement in similar projects made the Harrisonburg school an ideal choice for the exchange program with Somaliland.

“We had some good experience in helping other programs get started in other countries,” said Potter.

Somaliland ‘Quite Peaceful’

Initially, the project will not involve the rest of Somalia, according to Janice M. Jenner, director of the Practice Institute.

Jenner spent a week at Hargeisa in August discussing the feasibility of an alliance between 91短视频 and the Somaliland school, and left impressed with the region’s political climate.

Janice Jenner, right, with Hargeisa dean Mohamed Aw-Dahir Abdi

“Somaliland is quite peaceful,” said Jenner. “The people there are very proud of their elected democratic government. I felt completely safe there.”

The vast majority of the 3.5 million people of Somaliland are Sunni Muslims. A little more than half of the population is nomadic or semi-nomadic, with the rest living in urban centers, like the city of Hargeysa, and small towns.

Cultural Bonds

Barry Hart, associate professor of trauma and conflict studies at 91短视频, and an instructor at 91短视频 in conflict transformation, is one of three instructors from 91短视频 who will go to Hargeisa next spring to teach and work with faculty from the latter university.

Staff from 91短视频, said Hart, will help officials at Hargeisa create a curriculum that, they hope, eventually will teach Somalians how to resolve their differences.

Hart and others from 91短视频 involved in the exchange program hope that their initiative in Hargeisa will enable the university there to help pave the way for peace throughout the rest of Somalia.

Citizens of Somalia have enough in common culturally to make peace possible, said Hart, adding that he and other 91短视频 officials hope that the people of Somaliland “can, over time, become a catalyst for change.”