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Appendix 2 Peace Bridges Proposal Submission

An Evaluation of Peace Bridges

Patty Curran, Development ConsultantData collection period: 2 February to 13 March 2009

Report submitted on 26 March

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents........................................................................................21. Executive Summary.................................................................................31. Introduction...........................................................................................6

1.1 Purpose of the Evaluation......................................................................................61.2 Evaluation Methodology........................................................................................6

2. Background/ Project Context...................................................................62.1 Peace Bridges.........................................................................................................62.2 Conflict and the Cambodian Context......................................................................7

3. Project Overview....................................................................................83.1 Peace Bridges’ Vision..............................................................................................83.2 Key Objectives........................................................................................................83.3 Summary of Activities.............................................................................................83.4 Evaluation Limitations & Challenges.......................................................................9

4. Evaluation Findings.................................................................................94.1 Effectiveness........................................................................................................104.1.1 Training & Mobilization......................................................................................104.1.2 Continuation of English Services........................................................................114.1.3 Mobilization.......................................................................................................114.1.4 Utilization of Peace Builders by their Sending Organizations and Churches......124.1.5 Overall Impact...................................................................................................134.2 Efficiency..............................................................................................................134.2.1 Course & Mobilization Design............................................................................144.2.2 Staff & Management..........................................................................................144.2.3 Registration with the Ministry of Interior............................................................154.2.4 Localization........................................................................................................154.2.6 Design, Monitoring and Evaluation....................................................................164.2.7 Administrative and Financial Systems...............................................................174.3 Relevance.............................................................................................................184.3.1 Church Hierarchy & Culture and New Foreign Missionary Groups......................184.3.2 Participant Selection..........................................................................................184.3.3 Peace Builder Accompaniment..........................................................................194.4 Sustainability........................................................................................................194.4.2 Potential for Independent Peace Builder Networks............................................20

PART II: Peace Bridges Stories of Change....................................................21APPENDICES..............................................................................................34

Appendix 1: Terms of Reference................................................................................34Appendix 2: List of Field Visit Sites and Informants...................................................34Appendix 3: Interview Questions and FGD Guides.....................................................35Evaluation Interview Questions for Key Informants....................................................35FGD QUESTIONS for those in Peace Builders Circles of Influence:..............................36Email Questionnaire for Donors..................................................................................36Email Questionnaire for MAC Participants...................................................................37

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1. Executive Summary

An evaluation of Peace Bridges was conducted from February to March 2009 and an external evaluator was hired to facilitate this process and focus in particular on stories of change of those who have participated in the courses. The objectives of the Peace Bridges Evaluation, stated in Section One, are as follows:

i) Assess the extent to which the three year cycle of the project achieved stated outputs and outcomes, and

ii) Give practical recommendations on ways Peace Bridges can learn from the past three years as we consider the next three years.

Also in this section is a description of methods used during this process which include interviews, focus group discussions with Peace Builders and members of their circles of influence, a staff workshop which focused on organizational strengths and weaknesses, field visits, a Most Significant Change (MSC) workshop with leading Peace Builders from Cohorts One - Three, as well as informal exchanges with staff and other stakeholders. A presentation of findings was conducted with Peace Bridges’ Board of Directors and management team before the final report was submitted. Section Two provides a background of Peace Bridges along with some cultural challenges that are key considerations that influence Peace Building efforts in the Cambodian Context. An overview of Peace Bridges’ Vision, Objectives, and Activities as well as limitations and challenges faced during this process are provided in Section Three.

Key Findings from the evaluation process are described in Section Four and include conclusions and recommendations related to Effectiveness, Efficiency, Relevance, and Sustainability.

The report concludes with Part Two, which is arguably the greatest reflection of the importance of this organization: Stories of Change.

Related to Effectiveness, Key findings and conclusions include that Peace Bridges has succeeded in making Peace Builders more confident and determined to address conflict. Many suggest that the greatest transformation has taken place on a personal level, though CCMT participants relay powerful stories of how what they have learn has impacted the approach they take to their work relationships. The only insight into the way the course could be improved was related to desired additional exposure to case studies in which lessons have been applied and access to observation opportunities of other Peace Builders in mobilizing. MAC participants report that while the course was extremely useful to them as individuals, they do not note much change within their organizations that is a result of their participation in the course. Related to Effectiveness, the following Recommendations are offered:

1. Related to MAC, that Peace Bridges prioritizes future directions for MAC given the extent to which sending organizations are benefiting and the hope of stepping up efforts in staff capacity development and equipping Cambodian Peace Builders.

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2. That the Peace Bridges team continue to reflect on how best to be proactive with graduates who don’t seek out their support so that they can continue to be motivated despite the myriad of obstacles. 3. That Peace Bridges step up efforts to prompt the maximizing of potential of graduates (both CCMT and MAC) through discussions related to job descriptions, performance appraisals, “training mentors”, and the pooling peace building resources among partner organizations.4. That Peace Bridges provide graduates with opportunities to observe mobilization, simplified tools for graduates to use, and access to case studies in which tools shared are used successfully by graduates and others doing conflict counseling and mediation.

With regard to Efficiency, key findings and conclusions include that Peace Bridges is constantly reflecting on how to build capacity of the team and improve services to participants, peace builders and partner organizations. Staff sometimes worry that Peace Bridges give more information during the CCMT training than is necessary though this concern is not reportedly shared with course participants who see a value in getting a broad overview of the potential to promote real and lasting peace within their circles of influence and beyond. It could be argued that Peace Bridges should step up efforts to become a registered NGO and continue to strengthen capacity with the vision of making middle management to ultimately take on management of the organization before the anticipated 2015 goal given the desire to support further Peace Builders working with the authorities and the desire to have a clear and independent agenda. It is also felt that Peace Bridges should continue its approach to mobilization and support of partners which is in the form of discreet accompaniment that does not diminish the role of the local Peace Builder. Also related to efficiency is the hope that the research on family violence (and any other future research, for that matter) will be driven by the expressed desire to equip Peace Builders who have graduated from the course. Peace Bridges is working towards strengthening mechanisms for measuring change. This will help in building future strategies and determining the extent to which the organization is getting the anticipated results the organization is hoping for. And finally, there is concern that Peace Bridges might struggle to make ends meet financially given the economic downturn and should, therefore, prepare itself accordingly. Related to Efficiency, the following recommendations are offered:

1. That Peace Bridge explore the possibility of providing “advanced” courses or “follow-on” workshops for peace builders who need more technical skills in mediation skills than the majority of participants who, at this point, seem to require simply a general overview. 2. That Peace Bridges move towards registering with the Ministry of Interior as a Local NGO and continues to step up efforts to strengthen leadership potential among management staff.3. That the insights that come from the Family Violence Research, evolve into practical ways to enhance the skills of Peace Bridges course participants and leaves them better equipped to address conflict in their communities. 4. That Peace Bridges continue to strengthen the ways in which they go about measuring change using practical indicators and stories of change and encourage graduates and partners to do the same.5. Given the potential impact of the current financial downturn, that the Board and Director be engaged in innovative approaches to fundraising.

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Related to Relevance, key findings and conclusions include that Peace Bridges has done much to enhance perceptions of Christians and their call to be more than ministers of “the word” of the institutional church and Christians who have participated in the course are often now seen as “go-tos” beyond their role within their churches. It is also important to note that with the growing number of course graduates; there comes the sense that Peace Bridges could recruit course participants with similar roles to those who reportedly have benefitted considerably- such as social workers, human rights activists. Related to relevance, the following recommendations are offered:

1. That Peace Bridges continue to encourage “buy-in” from local churches and consider formal exchanges with growing and influential new missionary organizations.2. That Peace Bridges look at the pool of Peace Builders who have been particularly successful in the course and seek out individuals in similar positions and invite them and their organizations to consider the value of participation in the courses.3. That Peace Bridges track more closely the efforts of Peace Builders successfully engaged in mobilization and reflect with them the best way forward in terms of discreet, practical support. With regards to Sustainability, there is every indication that the transformation taking place in individuals who have participated in the course, subsequent trainings and mobilization efforts will last long after Peace Bridges has shut its doors. It is hoped that Peace Bridges continues to strengthen the sense of friendship and solidarity among those who have trained with the organizations and who have in common the desire to further their efforts to promote lasting peace in their own lives, their work and church, and in their communities beyond. Related to Sustainability, the following recommendation is offered:

That Peace Bridges encourage graduates and their organizations to form their own links beyond those which Peace Bridges provides. This could be done geographically or sectorially (i.e. organizations with similar mandates or churches with similar demographics).

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1. Introduction1.1 Purpose of the Evaluation

The purpose of conducting this evaluation was to focus oni) Assessing the extent to which the three year cycle of the project achieved stated outputs and outcomes, and ii) To give practical recommendations on ways Peace Bridges can learn from the past three years as we consider the next three years.

It was also hoped that a major emphasis of this report would be on stories of change and transformation and as such, attached to the practical findings and recommendations are over 30 stories, shared by graduates and their beneficiaries, about how their lives, relationships, and reactions to conflict have changed as a result of their learnings from Peace Bridges.

1.2 Evaluation Methodology• Review of major project documents and secondary materials/ documents

(program plans, progress reports, evaluation reports, etc.) • Interviews with Key Informants which include management, staff, board

members, NGO partners, church leaders, course participants, and community and church members that have benefitted either directly or indirectly form the organization. (see appendix 2)

• Staff workshop with focus on analysis of organizational strengths and weaknesses

• Individual and group interviews/ interactions (both formal and informal) with Peace Bridges staff and participants from various courses and trainings conducted by staff and those who have completed the training courses. (see Appendix 3 for interview questions)

• Email correspondence with donors (see Appendix 3)• Email questionnaire for MAC participants (see Appendix 3)• Focus Group Discussions with groups that have been given services from

those who have participated in the courses (see appendix 3 for FGD guides)

• Most Significant Change (MSC) Workshop with nine select graduates • Field Visits to Kampong Cham Provincial Prison, Takeo, Kampong Cham,

and Samrong Thom, Kandal

2. Background/ Project Context

2.1 Peace Bridges Peace Bridges is a Christian faith based non-government organization working under the auspices of the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia as a Strategic Partner, with a mandate to spread a vision and commitment throughout

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Christian churches, other organizations and communities in Cambodia for resolving and managing conflicts according to Christian values which promote love, respect and value to all neighbors, both Christian and those of other faiths. Christian churches and organizations are the key resource for reaching the broader community.

2.2 Conflict and the Cambodian ContextFor those familiar with the Cambodian context, it is easy to appreciate the challenges faced by Peace Bridges, an organization determined to work towards resolution of conflict and contribute to a peaceful society. While the evaluator in no way considers herself an expert in the field of anthropology, fifteen years of discussions with Cambodians and observation have led to some consistent observations that are worth noting in order to set the backdrop for what Peace Bridges is attempting to achieve. In discussing these observations with Peace Bridges staff and other stakeholders, it would seem that the following are legitimate challenges.

Some Cultural Challenges Impacting Efforts to Support Peace Builders

There is an overall lack of infrastructure in Cambodia to support peace building. The Royal Government of Cambodia is only now for the first time setting into place structures for formal conflict mediation.

It is culturally acceptable to avoid confrontation and to encourage those who are upset or sad to try and attempt to forget about their problems rather than focus on them.

Many people prefer to look ahead rather than reflect on a negative situation that has happened in the past.

Local resources (in the case of Peace Bridges, those participating in the courses and returning to their sending churches or organizations) are not as valued as resource persons that come from outside or that have the backing of an NGO.

Mediation is very, very new to Cambodian culture and there is little hope on the part of many that conflict will be resolved fairly.

Power dynamics are extremely pervasive in Cambodia. It is generally felt that those in positions of authority or having social status will “always win” and typically enjoy social impunity.

A long history of patron - client relationships have left many with the engrained sense that it is natural to depend on others to solve their problems for them.

Church leaders are not immune from a tendency towards promoting hierarchy and seniority, perhaps in order to establish themselves as authorities. Often church leaders have tended to feel that their role is that of problem solver and advice giver rather than as someone tasked to listen non-judgmentally.

There is often a distrust of Christians and churches and concern that there is always the hidden agenda of converting non-Christians to Christianity.

For a boss or manager to acknowledge their mistakes is often perceived as a sign of weakness.

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In avoidance of conflict about a particular problem there is often passive-aggressive behavior that serves to suggest dissatisfaction but doesn’t address the problematic issue directly.

Face saving is of the utmost importance to many people and this is preferred to putting a person in an embarrassing or uncomfortable position because they have done something wrong.

3. Project Overview

3.1 Peace Bridges’ VisionTo build bridges between people in conflict that moves them further down the path of appreciation, a ‘fair go’ for all, and respectful relationships.

3.2 Key ObjectivesPeace Bridges aims to:

Equip people to manage conflict in a better and fairer manner. Provide conciliation, mediation and other services for dealing with

conflict to Christian churches, organisations and the wider society. Raise awareness of ways to deal with conflict and build peace, based on

Christian values, to Christian Churches, organizations and the wider society.

3.3 Summary of ActivitiesPeace Bridges has translated the above objectives into a range of activities, namely:i. Client Service Unit focuses on equipping people to manage conflict better by:

Offering Conflict Counseling and Mediation Training (CCMT), a 13 unit training program which skills up people to be formal and informal mediators and peace educators in their circles of influence (family, church, community, work place)

Delivering short term training and conflict mediation consultancies. Considering options for future long term trainings that build on CCMT.

ii. Partnership and Mobilization Unit focuses on supporting those we equip to equip others by:

Mobilizing graduates of CCMT (Peace Builders) to develop formal and informal peace interventions among their circles of influences. (family, church, community, work place)

Building a Peace Builders Alliance, a support network for Peace Builders that offers ongoing training, resource sharing and supervision of those providing conflict counseling, mediation and prevention training

Building partnership with people & organisations beneficial to Peace Bridges ongoing work. In particular we seek to support the mandate of EFC through providing peace building services and advice within the EFC.

Support and coaching to peace builders to ensure application of new skills, knowledge and attitudes in their circles of influence (work, family, church and community).

Support peace builders and their partner organisations to develop peace building programs within their organisations. We have supported peace builders in various places to run programs long and short term in partnership with us. Two partnerships with promise for long term

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program partnership development are: Sunrise, an NGO in Kampong Cham and New Life Fellowship Development Ministries in Takeo province.

iii. Family Violence Prevention Research Project focuse s on determining the best ways PEACE BRIDGES might contribute to building healthy relationships in Cambodian families by:

Understanding the bigger picture of family violence in Cambodia Making recommendations for a small research project on a specific area

of interest within the wider picture Developing recommendations on a pilot project and trialing the project

with selected partners Deciding on a way forward.

iv. The English Speaking Service Unit focuses on cooperating with other units to build parallel services to English speakers, especially those with a strong potential to influence Cambodian partners we work with by:

Offering Mediation Across Cultures (MAC), a 20 day training program which skills up people to be formal and informal mediators and peace educators in their circles of influence (family, church, community, work place)

Delivering short term training and conflict mediation consultancies. Considering options for future long term trainings that build on MAC Mobilizing and supporting graduates of MAC through Alumni that

cooperates with the Peace Builders Alliance. A key premise is that English speakers, especially expatriates have a

major impact and influence on Cambodian programs. In order to develop interest this layer of influence must be included. Thus the English speaking services whilst ends in themselves are also designed to support the goals of the larger Cambodian speaking services.

3.4 Evaluation Limitations & ChallengesA trip planned to Siem Reap to observe mobilization efforts with an active Peace Builder from Banteay Maenchey was cancelled due to a last minute change in scheduling, limiting the number of observations of such activities.Only seven of the 23 Mediation Across Cultures (MAC) participants responded to emails requesting their input into this process. That said, there have already been numerous reflections on the effectiveness and relevance of the MAC course and it would seem that every effort has been made to put suggestions offered in the past into practice that lends to a better, stronger MAC for expats who wish to be peace builders in their organizations. The need for confidentiality limited access to individuals and organizations that benefitted form Peace Bridges’ conflict mediation efforts though it should be noted that informally, one organization that requested team building support was very satisfied with the quality of the process facilitated by Peace Bridges.

4. Evaluation Findings

While it is likely that what will prove most beneficial from this evaluation exercise are the stories of change documented in Part II, there are also some practical considerations described in this findings section. Given the objectives of this evaluation- to measure the extent to which Peace Bridges has achieved

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the intended results and recommendations for potentially improving its projects - this section is divided into four parts:

Effectiveness- the degree to which Peace Bridges has moved towards the attainment of its strategic direction (the building of bridges between people in conflict and moving them towards appreciation, a ‘fair go’’ for all, and respectful relationships).

Efficiency – the extent to which Peace Bridges is run in a manner that gives value for money and uses resources to the best of its ability.

Relevance – the degree to which Peace Bridge’s efforts are in sync with the needs of Christian churches and organizations, adapt to the changing context and capabilities and keeps steering activities towards changes needed by those able to promote peace.

Sustainability – the extent to which systems are in place, both within the organization as well as for those who have completed Peace Bridges trainings peace builders have the ability to engage in conflict resolution and promotion of peace in their churches, organizations, and communities themselves through problem analysis, solidarity, and joint efforts. There are systems in place that help to foster peace building will last beyond the interventions of Peace Bridges.

4.1 Effectiveness By all accounts Peace Bridges has been successful in equipping graduates to manage conflict in a better and fairer way as is illustrated by the 40 stories of change offered in Part 2 of this report. It is hoped that those will speak for themselves in suggesting that it is certain that Peace Bridges has been extremely effective.

4.1.1 Training & MobilizationWhile initially, many of those entering Peace Bridges courses had few expectations apart from the hope that they would learn about tools and practical skills related to conflict resolution, others were more specific and noted the hope that they would learn how to manage situations of conflict, have a better understanding of causes of conflict, and basically to gain insights and methods from other participants in similar positions - Christian peace builders who need help gaining confidence to become involved in mediation rather than simply avoiding it. Resoundingly, graduates from both the CCMT and MAC courses satisfied them beyond their expectations.

Both CCMT and MAC participants report tremendous personal growth and a strong desire to use their skills to become more effective in their work and service. They note a stronger awareness of how their past experiences influence the way they currently experience conflict, how they react to conflict situations, and ways to prevent conflict from escalating. MAC participants, in particular, suggest that the most useful tools they gained from the training were conflict counseling, the circle of conflict, peer mediating, consideration of various conflict styles, personal filters, and mindful awareness. They also noted that the trainers had different but complimentary styles and expressed the hope that this pairing for facilitation continue. Also worth noting is the fact that

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not only do they feel more confident in naming the root causes of and offering solutions to conflict, they value the connections they made to other Christian peace builders.

MAC participants also note changes on a personal level that include empathetic listening, greater self-awareness and mindfulness, awareness around other people’s issues and concerns, comfort levels; factors around setting people up for success; developing trust/confidence between self and individuals; having a basic process in mind for conducting conflict mediation; listening out for expressions of feelings/judgment-evaluative statements; finding areas of commonality; summarizing and moving forward to some shared commitments for action. One MAC participant summed it up nicely by noting, “I’m aware that the situations I have dealt with have not followed the ‘textbook’ process that we learned in the course – but rather have used parts of the process. I have not had the opportunity to take a conflict right through to conclusion, so the final steps of ‘getting to agreement’ – are for me still a little vague.” Another MAC participant also noted that skills used to a lesser degree than those mentioned above were some of the 4 reflective tools (conflict as a fire, factors working for/against resolution, who’s conflict, roots and fruits), noting that they just “don’t come to mind as readily as the others”.

When asked for insights into what might make for an overall stronger program very few suggestions were given by participants from the MAC and CCMT courses though those noted did seem valid:

Provide more background into the ‘history’ of peace building – biblical interpretations, and maybe even looking at the likes of Gandhi and others renown for their non-violent practice.

Continue to provide “re-freshers” on some of the models/tools and actual case studies of how these were applied.

Provide increased opportunities for Peace Builders to observe trainings so as to build confidence and make learnings still more practical.

4.1.2 Continuation of English ServicesIn interviewing and surveying past participants in MAC, one is left with the feeling that rather than equipping sending organizations, the primary beneficiaries have been individuals who describe changes on a very personal level. These stories are powerful and it is clear that Peace Bridges leaves them better able to address conflict. However, there is not the sense that organizations are using these people to the best of their ability (this is further discussed in the Utilization section below). Given the potential and significance of the impact on the lives of the CCMT participants and the time commitment required of the English speaking Peace Bridges staff, it would seem wise for Peace Bridges to think strategically about how best to move forward given their limited human resources. Perhaps focus could be placed on mobilization of MAC graduates to help them strengthen their influence. Another possibility might be offering the course every two years instead of every year.

Recommendation: Related to MAC, that Peace Bridges prioritizes future directions for English speakers given the extent to which sending organizations are benefiting and the hope of stepping up efforts in staff capacity development and equipping Cambodian Peace Builders.

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4.1.3 MobilizationIt was observed that the mode taken by staff engaging in mobilization activities is most appropriate and geared towards helping the peace builders build confidence and the ability to manage such activities on their own. Staff approach their role humbly and those who report having had mobilization support suggest that they were given give valuable inputs into training and feedback that is both discreet and constructive. Most impressive is the fact that there is not the perception that the team over-shadows the Peace Builder but rather accompanies him/her.

In speaking with staff and course participants, one is left with the impression that Peace Bridges is very receptive of the prospect of graduates contacting them for support in mobilization. This has resulted in stronger, more effective activities on the part of those who have taken advantage of this invitation. However, not all graduates take advantage of this offer. What seems lacking is the sense that Peace Bridges is proactive when it comes to graduates who don’t seek out further support - meaning that apart from the very well received Peace Builders’ Alliance, Peace Bridges doesn’t tend to engage or challenge people into action or follow up in order to encourage continued engagement. To be fair, there are a number of legitimate reasons for this- few staff, not wanting to force people, the waning of enthusiasm, and, not least of all, lack of time. Perhaps if Peace Bridges helps graduates to address the issue of lack of support on the part of supervisors, this will be half the battle.

Recommendation: That the Peace Bridges team continue to reflect on how best to be proactive with graduates who don’t seek out their support so that they can continue to be motivated despite the myriad of obstacles.

4.1.4 Utilization of Peace Builders by their Sending Organizations and ChurchesWhile there have been many reported positive changes with respect to the way peace builders interact within their circles of influence, it has been suggested that more could be done to promote accountability on the part of sending organizations and churches to maximize the potential of those whom they have invested in as peace builders. It is commonly reported that the onus falls on the shoulders of the graduate to put skills into practice more than on their organization/church.

With the exception of two noteworthy cases of organizations changing the job description or adding to the duties of peace builders after the course (one with Peace Bridges’ partner organization, Sunrise, and the other is the case of the administrative staff at an INGO that has given her more opportunities to provide staff nurturing and support), there appear to be very few shifts noted with regard to what is expected of graduates (both CCMT and MAC) and it would seem that this is a missed opportunity. Peace Bridges could be more strategic in helping those who allow their staff to join course to commit to utilizing these new skills. In its strategic plan, Peace Bridges describes several approaches they attempt to use to engage those sending participants that include networking with partners to identify suitable candidates, carefully discerning which participants from the course’s Part A should move into Part B. These efforts have definitely strengthened impact.

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It seems that Peace Bridges could do more to challenging organizations to be more accountable particularly given the initial impression they give that they see the value in their staff participating. Peace Bridges could do this by challenging sending organizations to describe (and put into writing) what might change if their staff is selected to participate and their strategy for how learnings might be integrated within the organizations.

VBNK, one of Cambodia’s leading training institutes, has reported successes related to promoting “Training Mentors” for their courses that are longer term or set in modules. From the beginning of the course, participants are linked with a member of their organizations to whom they report back and share learnings and suggestions for how they may be applied. This might be particularly useful for Peace Bridges to explore with them. 1

Unfortunately, apart from this, there seems to be little precedent of other organizations that Peace Bridges could learn from here. This is due to the fact that most organizations provide capacity building opportunities that are more conventional in nature; such as English language, accounting, or facilitation skills that are perceived as a practical gap in their ability to function in their position.

Peace Bridges might wish to share with potential partners that this has been an issue in the past – organizations and churches indicating that they are confident that they will use Peace Builders (best intentions that don’t often materialize). Organizations might address this by reviewing job descriptions and adjusting performance appraisals to reflect their hopes and expectations from the course. One graduate offered an interesting suggestion of encouraging organizations to even go so far as to commit to allowing Peace Builders to be a part of a pool of resources that could be called upon to train/help with conflict resolution skills within a body of organizations that have sent people to the courses. These could include trainees from both MAC and CCMT.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges step up efforts to prompt the maximizing of potential of graduates (both CCMT and MAC) through discussions related to job descriptions, performance appraisals, “training mentors”, and the pooling peace building resources among partner organizations.

4.1.5 Overall Impact As is reflected in many the stories of change noted in Part II, there has been a distinct improvement in the quality of personal and professional relationships of those who have participated in Peace Bridges’ programs. Pastors report no longer seeing themselves as needing to know all the answers, counselors who are more patient and less judgmental, and Peace Builders growing as reputable “go-tos” for help in conflict resolution. The effectiveness of the Peace Bridges programs is also reflected in the fact that knowledge that is generated is also used– with graduates constantly referring to the importance of listening skills (considered the most critical lesson learned), the strengthening of the “trigger” in themselves that reminds them of what they’ve learned, the importance of hearing all sides of the story, the importance of not judging, and the importance of being in the habit of not siding with the person who might simply

1 Ms. Sim Noreth is a Team Leader at VBNK who has helped to develop the Training Mentors program.

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be more likeable. These aspects of the course were noted time and again by those interviewed for the evaluation.

Again, it is important to note that Peace Builders are extremely satisfied not only with the course but also with subsequent support in putting what they have learned into practice within their own churches and organizations. When asked for suggestions on ways in Peace Bridges could improve its services as it looks towards the future, both CCMT and MAC graduates had a few practical suggestions; that Peace Bridges provide increased opportunities for observation of mobilization, increased opportunities for role play (to more conflict coaching scenarios) and simplified materials for graduates to use, as well as opportunities to make field visits with the mobilization team to access more learning and practical skills.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges provide graduates with opportunities to observe mobilization, simplified tools for graduates to use, and access to case studies in which tools shared are used successfully by graduates and others doing conflict counseling and mediation.

4.2 EfficiencyJust as Peace Bridges would be given high marks for effectiveness, it would seem that there is every indication that there is good value for money and that the organization uses resources to the best of its ability. Partners, as well as donors, are impressed with the learning posture of the organization and its willingness to reflect on that which appears to be working or need improvement and to adjust accordingly. It could be argued, though, that this is done to a fault. As one prominent member of the peace building community here put it, “I wish they would just stop wondering if they’re doing a good job and see that they are!” Peace Bridges could simply say with confidence that it has found its niche and build on already existing strong programs, rather than on introducing new ones.

4.2.1 Course & Mobilization DesignIn terms of quality of services – individuals who have participated in trainings and mobilization activities have been very positive about the design and length of the courses, as well as mobilization support. While there is some concern on the part of staff that more technical information than required is offered related to mediation - as one person put it, “we’re teaching participants to drive a big truck when all they need to do is drive a regular car”, there was not the sense given that those who participated in the training would suggest that those sections be done away with. On the contrary, when asked, participants reported feeling that while they might not particularly have opportunities to use mediation in their own work, they value understanding the importance of it and the signals where in the future they might use those skills to help resolve conflict. Peace Bridges might wish to consider the possibility of breaking the course into three parts, instead of the current two, or consider the prospect of having a follow up course for those individuals who have clearly taken what they have learned from Peace Bridges and made it their own.

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Recommendation: That Peace Bridge explore the possibility of providing “advanced” courses or “follow-on” workshops for peace builders who need more technical skills in mediation skills than the majority of participants who, at this point, seem to require simply a general overview.

4.2.2 Staff & ManagementStaff are clear about the objectives of the organization and their roles and responsibilities. To management’s credit, it is clear that the staff understand and embrace the vision of the organization and are determined to work together for those who participate in training and in mobilization efforts driven by the genuine desire to bring about a more peaceful society.

The Peace Bridges team works together in an exceptionally respective and empowering way. While many of the staff are young, they appear to be growing in skills and confidence that have resulted in admiration and respect of those who take the course. There is little evidence of office politics and jealousy. Rather, staff seem genuinely interested in seeing their colleagues maximize their own potential and succeed in their work. The management team is comprised of several individuals who bring with them unique and essential skills. The director presents as dedicated and determined, with a strong knowledge and experience base. This is coupled with determination to present a style of management that is respectful and an approach to decision making that is thorough and collaborative. The management team is made up of the director and four other members, all men, who have unique skills – excellent analytical skills and passion, intelligence, strong links to and the respect of Christian leaders, and, most importantly, love. They seem to have in common their genuine desire to serve and empower for the sake of peace building. Staff capacity development opportunities provide the basis for the work for Peace Bridges. All program staff have completed the entire CCMT course and this has provided them with a sound basic understanding of course design and objectives from which to work and grow as trainers and facilitators. The organization is careful to help staff search for opportunities to help strengthen their own skills as critical human resources. This has included investment in the form of Masters in Peace Studies, Participation in courses in peace and reconciliation offered both in Cambodia (Cambodian Development Research Institute and Social Services of Cambodia) and outside (Mindanao Peace Institute). It should be noted that there is some debate among staff regarding their desire for the organization to provide financial support for courses that arguably do not result in the organization being better positioned to meet its goals and objectives. This particularly relates to study of law and while it might come in handy to have basic understanding of certain laws that affect those in conflict and it would therefore seem that a workshop on certain laws may be justified, but beyond that, not especially practical given Peace Bridges’ mandate.

Also related to efficiency, it is important to note that there is no staff turnover and very little absenteeism. While there are some grumblings that they wish salaries were higher and that educational benefits were more geared towards enhancing individual’s desires, this has not resulted in qualified staff seeking employment elsewhere. As staff get older and start families, though, Peace Bridges might be faced with staff having to make practical decisions for the sake of their families (– make more money to provide more for their families)

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but there is every indication that management will “cross that bridge when they get to it” and reflect long and hard about how to go about keeping competent staff while insuring that they are dong more than just making ends meet for their families.

4.2.3 Registration with the Ministry of InteriorPeace Bridges intends to become an independent local NGO in 2015 though it could be argued that this should happen sooner for a few reasons. On a practical level, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Interior would give Peace Bridges more credibility with the authorities as opportunities grow for graduates to engage their communities beyond their churches and organizations. Depending on the extent to which Peace Bridges decides to engage the authorities, becoming registered with the government would give Peace Bridges more leverage and credibility. Also of concern is the fact that under the auspices of EFC, Peace Bridges would likely be considered a part of that organization whether or not they share EFC’s agenda. The case in point is the “20/21 Initiative” which the EFC is currently promoting in hopes that there will be a Christian church in all Cambodian villages by 2021. Regardless of whether or not Peace Bridges thinks this is a wonderful prospect, aligning itself with such an agenda might well cause confusion about Peace Bridges’ own objective - stepping up efforts to enhance the skills and projects of partners and graduates to promote conflict resolution and peace.

4.2.4 LocalizationLinked to registering with the RGC (which requires the Director of a local NGO to be a Cambodian national), Peace Bridges’ has its own issues linked to the prospect of becoming an independent organization with Cambodian leadership (with the director serving in the background as an advisor). If this is the intention, it would seem wise to step up efforts to allow staff with management potential to take up more management responsibilities – and this could be addressed by perhaps appointing a deputy director with the hopes that s/he would one day become the director. On a practical level, the hiring of a Personal Assistant seems wise in that a move towards shifting some practical responsibilities appears to have been a wise move. So too, it seems wise that the board and director are looking at ways for increasing management responsibilities of Cambodian staff to gradually reduce dependency on the director to keep the organization running. Despite the noted determination to foster collaborative decision-making, there is the perception sometimes the process for coming to a decision could feel more satisfying. Aside from the issue of staff educational benefits described above, there was the strong desire of a few members of the management team and staff to use radio and media to “get the word out” and share Peace Bridges’ values and objectives with the wider Christian community. While the rationale for the ultimate decision seems valid- that staff describe as their desired agenda at provide mass conflict counseling doesn’t seem to fit with the current mandate of the organization, it does not seem that closure was felt by everyone.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges move towards registering with the Ministry of Interior as a Local NGO and continues to step up efforts to strengthen leadership potential among management staff.

4.2.5 Family Violence ResearchPeace Bridges is currently undertaking an extensive research project, looking at

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family violence. While it is understandable why the issue must be explored – there is tremendous physical and emotional abuse reported in Cambodian families - a strategy for linking findings to the practical resourcing of the Peace Bridges team, participants, and partners remains unclear. As the research team nears the end of this project, it is hoped that the entire Peace Bridges team be engaged in deciding how to best utilize the learnings to enhance an already strong set of services provided to potential peace builders and those who have already set out to impact their churches, organizations, and communities.

Recommendation: That the insights that come from the Family Violence Research, evolve into practical ways to enhance the skills of Peace Bridges course participants and leaves them better equipped to address conflict in their communities.

4.2.6 Design, Monitoring and EvaluationPeace Bridges has a good deal of activities to juggle with limited staff and a growing call for staff’s involvement in mobilization. It is good to know that Peace Bridges is beginning to clarify priorities and responsibilities via their strategic planning process so that staff are able to work in a more calculated manner to achieve the results Peace Bridges hopes to contribute towards.

Along with clearly making every effort to strengthen work plans, Peace Bridges hopes to strengthen its monitoring strategy, as well. This seems wise because at this point, staff seem to have gone with their seemingly legitimate gut feeling that everything is going well and rely on verbal feedback from graduates that they are satisfied with the course and/or other services Peace Bridges provides. This is not a bad thing by any means, but as the organization grows and the pool of peace builders becomes bigger and stronger, it would be helpful to more carefully track the fruits of their labor. For example, Peace Bridges is in the practice of documenting the post-course intentions of participants as they begin the trainings but could do more to help participants frame their situations so that they can be realistic about what they can accomplish and track the extent to which these intentions are met. In addition to promoting the capturing and documenting stories of change in the lives, work places, and communities of trainees, peace builders, and partners, practices such as capturing baseline information - or simply reflection on the background and current situation an activity is meant to tackle, as well as the development of stronger, practical indicators - to help measure the extent to which the anticipated results are being achieved through trainings and the other activities. Another helpful practice is “ARLP” or Action, Reflection, Learning, Planning eventually becomes second nature to those who use it.2

Peace Bridges could go so far as to integrate into the curricula lessons for peace builders to do the same within their organizations and churches.

2 This practice is described along with several other practical M&E tools in World Vision Cambodia’s RGVB Guide to Community Mobilizing which is available in the Peace Bridges library.

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Recommendation: That Peace Bridges continue to strengthen the ways in which they go about measuring change using practical indicators and stories of change and encourage graduates and partners to do the same.

4.2.7 Administrative and Financial SystemsOptimal use is made of financial resources and donors seem satisfied with how financial resources are spent. An annual audit helps to promote transparency and accountability and in an attempt to move towards localization, the hiring of a personal assistant to the director further suggests that Peace Bridges is serious about strengthening administrative systems. Course costs seem fair to participants and Peace Bridges is very generous when it comes to providing scholarships so that a lack of resources doesn’t prevent any suitable candidates from participating in courses. By all accounts, high–quality administrative systems are now in place (financial, human resources, program, strategy, reporting, etc.). Benchmark comparisons are made of the progress achieved by Peace Bridges and lessons learned from pervious training and mobilization efforts influence design and implementation of subsequent efforts.

Strong program-completion rates also reflect efficiency, as does the fact that each of the training cycles has been strengthened by reflection upon what went well and that which could have gone better. It seemed especially effective, in Cohort 3 to divide the training into two parts; one for a general overview in peace building and the second which followed on with greater detail and only those participants who seemed to need and strongly desire fine-tuning skills.

Peace Bridges shares overhead- costs with two other organizations and seems to have worked out this system efficiently. Not only that, it has been both financially prudent and a reflection of good stewardship given the difficulty of securing financial support.

4.2.8 FundingA comment should be made here regarding the struggle for funding, especially given the global economic downturn and the increasingly difficult task of securing funding for work in Cambodia. Peace Bridges’ donors report a significant drop in donations and this will likely put a strain on their ability to meet financial commitments. Peace Bridges is well positioned given that it does not rely on just one donor but should be looking ahead, nonetheless, at innovative ways of fundraising (i.e. engaging Peace Builders in fundraising to cover their own costs, seeking scholarships for particular students, annual appeals, donations from those who have completed their course, matching gift campaigns to promote giving by local churches, inviting donors to cover mobilization costs through prizes for innovative post-course plans). It does seem that given the weight of fundraising has fallen, up to now, solely on the shoulders of the director, the Board could be called upon to share some fund raising responsibilities, given their own skills at fundraising and links to potential donors of Christian organizations. By the way, smaller organizations in Cambodia doing non-mainstream development work have been successful in securing partnership and financial support from Dan Church Aid, Caritas Switzerland, Caritas New Zealand, and Trocaire to name a few.

Recommendation: Given the potential impact of the current financial downturn, that the Board and Director be engaged in innovative approaches tofundraising.

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4.3 RelevancePeace Bridges is currently going through a time of reflection in which they look seriously into their own mandate, competencies, and experiences as well as opportunities and issues in order to clarify future priorities. Again, as has been argued since the beginning of the programme, Peace Bridges could, in good conscious, and with certainty that they are making a difference, just keep right on doing what it is they do. It also seems crucial to also note that Cambodians have had limited exposure to Christians in action – considerably more focus has been given to relaying “the word” (particularly for Cambodian Christians and pastors) and not so much on the action required of those following Jesus Christ. Several individuals interviewed for this process offered that it is extremely relevant that communities have such positive interactions with Christians and that the importance of this should not be under estimated!

4.3.1 Church Hierarchy & Culture and New Foreign Missionary GroupsIt does seem that church hierarchy and culture has meant some barriers in the extent to which those who have graduated from the course can change the culture within their own churches. Several pastors and others reported that often senior pastors tend to want to hold tight to old ways of doing things and see little need for change in how they lead their congregations. This has cause some frustration both on the part of Peace Bridges that so wishes to be a part of changing institutions as well as on the part of graduates who return to their churches highly motivated to share their learnings, only to be discouraged by their management who suggest that they should keep doing things as usual. Those who have been trained wait with patience until the day when they themselves will be come senior pastors and have influence over their institutions. There is every indication that given their commitment and convictions, it’s just a matter of time, given continued support and encouragement, until they might well change the face of Christian churches in Cambodia.

There is currently meaningful discussion on the part of missionary organizations on the extent to which new foreign missionaries influence Khmer Christian Churches. Lately there has been a great influx of Asian missionaries that come well resourced and, in the opinion of many, often seem to follow patterns followed by western missionaries that have realized they could have done things better, particularly in relation to the strengthening of collaboration among churches. This might be one target group for peace bridges, either in inviting them to participate in training or in some sort of engagement to foster strong communication and collaboration so that lessons learned for peace building among past missionaries are not forgotten.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges continue to encourage “buy-in” from local churches and consider formal exchanges with growing and influential new missionary organizations.

4.3.2 Participant SelectionGiven Peace Bridges’ growing numbers of successful graduates, they might wish to consider becoming even more strategic in the participant selection process. As the number of graduates increase and Peace Bridges begins to see clearly what sorts of people have benefitted most from its programs, why not consider being pro-active in engaging organizations that might well benefit to the extent others have? For example, one impressive graduate is a counselor at

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a shelter for women and girls who are the victims of sexual abuse. She noted the tremendous value her learnings of the course have had and even went so far as to note her concern that staff at the shelters which provide longer-term support after the mandate of her organization is over, are likely lacking in the skills now so essential to herself. Similarly, two pastors who reportedly benefitted tremendously from mobilization by a Peace Bridges graduate in Takeo, indicated that ADHOC, the human rights organization for whom they sometimes volunteer, has expressed interest in having others learn the basic skills those two men clearly have.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges look at the pool of Peace Builders who have been particularly successful in the course and seek out individuals in similar positions and invite them and their organizations to consider the value of participation in the courses.

4.3.3 Peace Builder AccompanimentIt could be argued that newly emerging opportunities to do more work with the target populations of two graduates in particular- one being the Kampong Cham Prison and the other being a Commune Council in Takeo – should be approached with a degree of caution. It is hoped that as the organization considers its best strategic direction, that it does not lose sight of the importance of not coming in and diminishing the growing role of the peace builders already on the ground and who are already attempting to do good work. And given the cultural norm of people tending to assign those from outside (who have perhaps more education or savvy), more credibility, Peace Bridges’ stepped-up participation might well have a negative long-term effect. One option for going forward with these potential/growing initiatives would be to maintain a background support role, never suggesting that Peace Bridges is the main actor. Perhaps it should also be noted, regarding the Takeo Commune Council, that it was recently discovered that Peace Bridges’ the key link to that Commune Council is the deputy who is a Christian as well as a up-until-very-recently very strong Sam Rainsy (opposition) Party member with all the intricacies and baggage he brings with those aspects to his role. It would seem that both he and Peace Bridges’ partner organization, Sunrise, working in the Kampong Cham prison might be vulnerable with regard to the level of respect they have so painstakingly earned, to being side-stepped should Peace Bridges’ be perceived by authorities as being better resourced or more skilled. Peace Bridges has been good at doing regular stakeholder-needs assessments. Perhaps these could be adjusted to get more detailed information for those initiatives/organizations/activities where Peace Bridges feels it would be particularly constructive to step up efforts of engagement.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges track more closely the efforts of Peace Builders successfully engaged in mobilization and reflect with them the best way forward in terms of discreet, practical support. Since its inception, Peace Bridges regularly reviews impressions and insights with trained peace builders and adapts its strategy accordingly to insure that they get the support they need. Staff and management also monitor the organization’s reputation, which is growing as one of the most credible and leading institutions for peace studies in the country. Innovation is encouraged and staff are on hand to help graduates adapt their learnings to make them practical within their own relationships and work situations.

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4.4 SustainabilityTo say that peace builders from both the CCMT and MAC courses have increased confidence and capacity to listen, analyze, mediate, help those in conflict, find their own solutions, identify root causes of problems and their own possible solutions is a strong indication that Peace Bridges is leaving something extremely important behind.

4.4.1 Alumni Practice Days and Peace Builders AllianceValued almost as much as the training itself are the Alumni Practice Days that are well organized and very satisfying when it comes to meeting the need to encourage and support one another. Participants offer that not only are they practical for the sake of debriefing and reminding of key insights gleaned together but also just for the sake of reconnecting with others who share the desire and frustrations of trying to work toward peace. Many went so far as to offer that they wish these were longer or more frequent. As Peace Builders grow in skill and experience, it is likely that these friendships will prove invaluable.

4.4.2 Potential for Independent Peace Builder NetworksIt was mentioned earlier that organizations that send their staff to Peace Builders might also benefit from more interconnectedness with each other. A few evaluation respondents proposed that Peace Bridges might consider promoting small groups of graduates who could meet together regularly (perhaps using Peace Bridges meeting space but not necessarily under the facilitation of a Peace Bridges staff). This could be done among graduates with similar roles or in close geographical proximity. Either way, it might well result in continued energy and determination to put into practice that which they were taught while taking the course.

Recommendation: That Peace Bridges encourage graduates and their organizations to form their own links beyond those which Peace Bridges provides. This could be done geographically or sectorially (i.e. organizations with similar mandates or churches with similar demographics). Finally, the stories of change attached here speak powerfully and suggest that there is a growing number of initiatives and natural exchanges that are initiated by peace builders without Peace Bridges’ intervention and these are the best reflection of sustainability Peace Bridges could ask for. Peace Bridges graduates, as well as those that have been trained by graduates who have attempted training on their own, suggest determination to increase local capacities for peace building. Likewise, the number of people competent to serve as peace builders in their circles of influence and beyond is steadily rising; both the result of more graduates but also due to their resolve to succeed at bringing what they’ve learned back to their own communities.

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PART II: Peace Bridges Stories of Change

#1 The training has been most useful with assistant pastors with whom I work I challenge them to stop always acting like the big guy- I’ve started being more clear about my expectations as their “manager”- that I expect them to be open and good at listening and at not judging. Assistant pastors are fickle. They listen to one side and nod their heads and then listen to the other side and act like whatever the second person said was also absolutely correct. I must always remind them to just gather information first, without seeing themselves as the one to fix the problem. It’s also related to trust. When I stop and remind myself that I need to trust these people and respect them I find that I’m always more open.

Male church pastor, C1

#2I know a couple who was fighting a lot and they were to the point of dividing up their children and divorcing. One of our staff sat them down and made it a rule that they had to listen until the other was completely done speaking and that only afterwards they could ask questions. The husband spoke for a very long time and the wife finally asked some very good questions that made him stop and think about her feelings. She did the same, spoke about all her pain and then he asked her some questions. This was the first time they’d ever done something like this and really tried to listen to each other and understand how the other was feeling and how their words and actions affected the other. Our staff was very glad to be a part of providing this kind of support.

Female NGO staff member, C1

#3What did I learn from my training at Peace Bridges? Everybody wants peace. Everyone needs to acknowledge weaknesses…there are always failures on everyone’s part because no one is perfect. Christians have to be an example, it’s a basic principle for us. It’s totally natural to “give bad to bad”- if someone hurts me, I won’t feel bad if they suffer as well. Before I could teach but I certainly wasn’t as close to God- in my teaching as a pastor I would speak in general terms but never quite scratching the place that itched. Now I think I am better at getting to the heart of the matter. That and somehow I’m also more gentle.

I think I have a lot of influence on the volunteers at church who manage activities for women, youth, and the preschool. I set the standard but no longer by being a mean boss whom they should fear- all that amounted to was “in one ear and out the other”. At first, when I started to change my attitude, it drove them crazy that the boss would acknowledge his mistakes but I kept doing it and finally they saw the value in it.

I can see that I have more respect than before and not just for Christians. I am aware when I’m tempted to generalize and judge people – for years I did that and it’s difficult to break old habits but now there is something in my brain that tells me to stop when I’m doing it. We have to love our neighbors and not just the ones we want to love but all of them. We are not just here to live our lives into get to heaven. We have an obligation to encourage each other to be good.

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Male Church Pastor, C3

#4At our center we bought a bike to be shared by two of the staff there. At first it worked out fine, with each one using the bike 3 days but then one of them wanted to have transportation more readily available and so she borrowed money to buy a 2nd bike. Then she went to the other staff and said that they should sell the church bicycle and split the money evenly. You can imagine that this came as a surprise to the first woman because she would be without transportation if the bike was sold. They had a conflict between them and so I, with the new skills from Peace Bridges, was faced with the challenge of insuring a “win-win” situation. I met with each of them to help them to understand the other’s feelings. Once the second woman saw that she had made the decision alone to buy the bike and that it wasn’t fair to just assume that it would be OK to sell the church bike she admitted that she’d made a mistake. She understands that she is still welcome to use the church bicycle when she needs it and the two women seem closer having resolved the problem respectfully.

Male Co-pastor, C3

#5The most important lesson for me was in developing listening skills. I’m a pastor so people allow me to talk a lot and it’s nice talking a lot but I realize that if I want to be a good pastor, an effective pastor, I have to be a good listener – I now know how to ask questions so that people can figure out how to solve their own problems. I used to think that my main role was to give good advice and I haven’t stopped doing that. If I have a suggestion and share it in the form of a question without the expectation that they will follow it according to my desire, they can still get help from me but decide if it’s the way they want to solve the problem or not and not feel bad if they choose to take a different solution. I am young and my church members are quite young and PEACE BRIDGES has helped me to become a more mature pastor for people in my church. I said that the listening skills are most important but from the lesson on shalom what I always seem to remember is:I am my brother’s keeper – it means I have an obligation to worry about others.Love your neighbor as yourself.Put down the sword, carry the cross- I must be the one to put an end to the misunderstanding or conflict rather than feeding the fire.Mt. 5-7 Sermon on the Mount.

Male NGO worker and pastor, C1

#6 I wanted to join this training because my friend participated in a previous PEACE BRIDGES course and I saw that it changed him- he was more thoughtful and considerate. I wanted more skills to help solve problems related to jealousy and conflict and learn about right speech and listening and to learn to take care not to be in the habit of using a “forked tongue”- just speaking without honestly thinking about what I should say. Before I was more like a person who was quick to anger and not I find I’m better at thinking before I speak. Also, I see that often I would say things that have already been said just to hear myself contribute something. I’m also not so bossy as I was before.

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Rural male church pastor, C2

#7Before when there was a problem in our house I always, I mean 100% of the time, blamed my wife. It was always her fault and now I think…hmmm, I guess I added to this problem or I’m the one who started this, or maybe I don’t fully understanding this situation. Before I always looked for excuses and now I am certain that the truth is most important. Even though in Cambodia it is perceived as a weakness, I have the habit of saying I’m sorry even to people who are younger than me. It might look strange but it’s the right thing to do.


#8My 5-year old son killed a baby chick and hid it under a bowl. When my wife came home she found it and was furious- yelling and screaming and wanting to know who had killed it. Of course none of the children wanted to admit it because they feared getting beaten. A few hours later my young son came to find me and said, “Pa, there is something I want to tell you but please don’t tell Ma.” I knew what he was going to say but I just waited and said, “What is it?” “I killed the chick. I was just playing with it and I don’t know why but it just died. Please don’t tell.” In the past I would have punished him by hitting him or bringing him right to his mother for punishment but that time, I thanked him for telling the truth and told him that he wouldn’t be beaten and that I’d need to tell his mom but would wait until later when I was sure she would be less angry and I would also tell her how sad he was and how fearful he was to tell her the truth. “In the future,” I asked, “will you play roughly with a baby chick?” “No,” he replied. And when I asked why and he said because he didn’t want his mother to hit him, I said to him, “No, let the reason for not playing too roughly be that you have to be gentler, not that you may get in trouble for doing something wrong.”


#9 The course was extremely valuable to me. Anyone would tell you that before I was the one to judge quickly who was right and who was wrong and now I can see the importance of listening and asking questions. Before if there was a small problem I didn’t really worry about it and if it was a big problem I didn’t dare to attempt to help solve it. I didn’t want to hear sad stories and would tell people to not focus on bad or sad feelings – which they should just to push those aside and get on with what they needed to do. I was always right. Funny, I don’t know how I did my job well before understanding what the course taught me about the importance of getting all sides of the story before I just assume I understand as well as empathy.

Male NGO staff, C1

#10.I was working for an expat related to my church and was asked to wash his motorcycle. When washing it I accidentally broke the rear-view mirror. My first thought was, “just don’t admit it. He’ll never know I did it. Just deny it, no one saw me do it.” Then I remembered that the truth is what is most important and

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that it would be easier living with the fact that I made a careless mistake and admitted it than living with this however minor deception. When I told him I was so grateful that he thanked me for admitting that I’d done it and said it was not a problem and that I could replace the mirror and forget about it. I didn’t forget though, it’s a reminder to me every time I feel like denying a mistake I’ve made.

Male church assistant pastor, C1

#11.There are 3 pastors in our church and we all share the responsibilities but the emphasis of my work is on pastoral care. We have our church work (50% of my time) and also have a school and center in Kandal. Before I went to the Peace Bridges course I sometimes felt like the “odd man out” and that they would join forces to make a decision and I would serve have an opposite idea and feel left out. Nowadays, though, I remind myself to understand their goals and rather than getting my feelings hurt I remind myself that I trust them. When I feel like quitting I know it’s because of my ego- that I’m too wrapped up in my self and judgmental and then I stop and think, “No, think about this situation without being selfish” and my harsh feelings soften.

Male church co-pastor, C3

#12.There are a lot of problems at our church center and I thought before that it was my main job to give advice and solve problems for people and now I know that the better I am at listening the more effective I am as a leader. From the PEACE BRIDGES course I learned that there is distinct process to follow in working with people: First, be quiet and let them tell their story. Allow them to hear it from themselves and then review it with them to be sure that I understand. I try to help them to think about and learn forgiveness.


#13.Learning about forgiveness has been very useful to me in my job also. There were two families in our church who never got along. I can’t even remember what it was that started the conflict. Before taking the PEACE BRIDGES course I saw my role in relating to them very differently- just wanting to insure that they didn’t make other people uncomfortable because they didn’t like each other. Now I see that I have a responsibility to ask them questions in order for them to reflect on their roles in the conflict. It took about a year to help them see things from the other family’s perspective but I never gave up trying. That is my job as their pastor.


#14.I’ve worked with the Women’s Commission for a long time and I knew from early in the course that this was going it was be extremely useful. I was struck by the fact that people just don’t listen and don’t worry so much about understanding. Most people also lack problem solving skills. We like to speak out and react but after studying I realized that I need to slow down and listen and wait for a solution rather than deciding on the solution and then matching it to a problem. I know it sounds backwards but it’s really how I used to do

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things. I also know that prayer is essential for me in order to get clarity and understand information from others and understand their perspective. This is especially important, for women, I think, because we tend to operate from our emotions, need lots of encouragement, and we grateful when it feels like people are listening carefully to what we have to say. Three of my staff have done the PEACE BRIDGES course because we recognize just how important it is for our target group.

Female NGO staff, C1

#15.One day we went out for breakfast with a few friends and afterwards, my wife wanted to go into the market with a few of them and left me with our baby daughter. It seemed that the minute my wife was out of sight, our baby started screaming and there was nothing I could do to comfort her. I tried and tried and after about 20 minutes I tried to phone my wife and she did not answer. When she finally came back it was nearly an hour later and I was furious. I told her quietly but very clearly, “We are going to talk about this when we get home.” We sat in silence in the tuk tuk and when we got home I went to my room and she went to nurse our baby and put her to sleep. As I sat there I was going through all the harsh things I was going to say to her…about this and also about all the other things that bother me about her… but then I remembered something from the course… I wonder why she took so long in the market. Could she possibly have a reason for being away so long? A little while later she came in rather sheepishly and said, “We should talk, right?” ready for me to start screaming at her. Instead, much to her obvious amazement, I calmly asked her, “What took you so long in the market? And why didn’t you answer the phone when I called you.” Her answer was simple, she had heard that one could get a second-hand baby carrier at the market and 2 sellers sent her to different parts of the market where she might find one (hmmm…I thought to myself, she was also thinking about the wellbeing of our baby!). And regarding the phone, a vendor told her that the previous day, someone in the market had her phone stolen so it was important to put it deep into ones bag or pocket so that, coupled with the noise of the market, made it impossible for her to hear it. I heard her side of the story and was very much aware that she had done nothing wrong. She agreed with me that an hour was too long to be away from our baby and won’t do that again but that whole situation and the way we talked about it was very good for our marriage.


#16.One day a friend phoned me and proceeded to yell at me over the phone. I tried at first to stop her from yelling but she wouldn’t let me so I just let her carry even though she was wrong in the accusations she was making against me as she yelled. Despite not having done anything wrong I said I was sorry- this was a very dear friend of mine- but she wouldn’t hear any of it and just hung up the phone. She got married shortly thereafter and didn’t invite me to her wedding. It was only later that another friend told her she had been wrong in accusing me and she came back to apologize. Yes, I do still feel bad about what happened but being aware of my feelings I can better control myself and not let those feelings control my actions.

Female NGO worker, C2

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#17.I work with the Women’s Commission but am also married to the senior director of the EFC. I know a woman whose husband fell in love with their housekeeper and left the wife to care for the children alone. She was crazy and distraught when this happened and came to me because she had no one else to talk to. I met with her every week just to listen to her- usually we took a walk- along the river front or in town and I don’t think I said anything at all during those walks, just listened to her talk about how difficult her situation was. I don’t know what she would have done had she not had that chance to talk about what she was going through. We did this for 6 months…every week…and finally she got through it and felt strong enough to accept this new way of life. I didn’t pass judgment on the husband or share any opinions about their situation. My role was merely to listen.


#18.I am a counselor at a 3-month shelter for girls and women who are the victims of sexual abuse. Lessons on shalom and listening are most important for me. Even though I can do my job effectively, I was always very quick to judge people and decide that I knew everything that was important to know about them. Sex workers are the hardest to love. They are trained in their profession to lie and keep their mouths shut. Now I listen, even when they are lying. And I sit with them as they tell lies or they say nothing- sometimes an hour, sometimes 45 minutes. My job is to listen. I worked recently with a former sex worker- a 14 year old and she lied about everything. Before participating in the course, I dismissed all those girls who seemed to lie about everything- their age, where they come from, their lives- I was able to dismiss them by thinking there was no way I could help them and also that they didn’t want my help anyway because they wouldn’t talk to me truthfully. Now I am determined to just be there with them without any agenda. Let them speak or draw or whatever, the role for me is to just be with them and help them to feel that they are not alone. There was another girl recently, who came to us very traumatized. She refused to speak at all and during our first visit we sat for over an hour together and didn’t say a word. The next visit, after 45 minutes, I asked her if she liked to draw and she nodded and drew a rose and then I asked her who the rose reminded her of and she wrote the word “mother” on the paper and then I asked her if she’d like to write about her mother and she started writing and writing and writing. And after that, after she began to trust me, she opened up to me and shared her stories and her experiences. I’ll never forget the lessons from Peace Bridges- get to the core of the main problem, help people to voice their feelings, and provide them with the opportunity to consider how they might solve the problem. It’s amazing, but those three simple questions have helped me tremendously.


#19.I notice that now that I have these new skills from the Peace Bridges training, that people in my village seek me out to help them solve their problems, not the village chief, me! There was one couple recently who was having lots of problems with their teenage son. At first he was skipping school and then gambling and the final “straw” (something that seems quite minor which proves too much to tolerate) was when he sold the father’s warm coat to pay off a gambling debt. A loud alteration resulted in the son leaving home and

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going to stay at his grandmother’s house. The mother, distraught, came to see me to ask for advice on how to repair the relationship with the son. My advice to her was to recognize that anger exists but to be careful not to give it too much ability to control us. I said go and visit the son regularly at the grandmother’s, with no agenda other than letting him know that you have not forgotten him and that you love him, and so that you know that he is still there and safe. The mother did this a few times and then finally the son was ready to explain to her his anxiety over not being a good student and the pressures he felt from his father who was constantly criticizing him. The mother then went back to her husband and described the son’s frustration. She then returned to the son and explained that because the son was his oldest, he wanted him to be the best that he could be. Upon hearing this, the son returned home.

Male NGO worker, C2

#20.I am ethnic Vietnamese and have had many, many occasions where I have suffered because of stereotypes and generalizations. I remember when I went into labor with my first daughter and my husband and I couldn’t find a hospital willing to help to deliver my baby because I’m Vietnamese (finally we miraculously ran into a doctor who knew my husband and he saved us by taking us to his clinic). Before I just lived with that struggle accepting my fate as someone who would have to live as the victim of prejudice but now I feel much more confident and accept that I have to be determined to show people that I am me…I am not the entire Vietnamese race. PEACE BRIDGES also forced me to think about my own faults and the part I play in feeding conflicts and I’m sure that I’m a better person for it. Also because of the course, the few people in my life who really get to me because of my ethnicity- with small jabs and insults- no longer have that power. Yes, they still insult me but I don’t allow their insults to control my feelings.


#21.I worked for a long time with an expat who complained a lot about staff who wanted more salary and always reminded me that he was working as a missionary. This was annoying because it’s true that he didn’t have a lot of money like other people but still he lived in a beautiful house, with his kids in the best school, and plenty of expensive food to eat. I think the course helped me with patience and to know that when I speak up (and I did challenge him on this) that there is a right way of speaking so that the person you’re talking to can hear you and will want to understand. This was important in that case.


#22.In my church we have a motorcycle that is used by staff to run errands and there are two people who usually use it. One person is very relaxed and the other is very responsible. I noticed that a conflict was brewing when the second man, during church committee meetings would constantly insult the first man and it was very uncomfortable for everyone at the meetings, particularly the

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first man as he couldn’t figure out what he had done wrong. Finally I took the second man aside and asked him why he was acting so aggressively towards the first man and he said that it was because that guy was using the motorcycle too much and most certainly for errands that were not related to church business. After giving this some thought, I had to say I was sorry to him that he had this worry and thank him for trying to be so responsible with church property and said I would speak to the first man. Then I met with the first man and asked him about his feelings. He said he was hurt because he had no idea what he’d done wrong. I then said that I also needed to apologize to him because actually if I had been more clear about expectations for use of the motorcycle this never would have happened. Then I called the whole committee together for a prayer service which helped us get back on track as a group and when I met with the 2 guys together afterwards they shared their stories had a lot of compassion towards each other. The first man forgave the second one for being mean and the second one forgave me and they are now friends once again.


#23. I think empathy is what I remember most about the training. My house is off the main road, down a slight hill. I noticed one day that our road was getting muddy and this had never been a problem before. On my way home from work I saw that the problem was the result of a family on the main road blocking the usual drainage system, causing my road to start to flood. This made me angry and I decided to go and confront them. On my way to the house something reminded me to consider why they might have decided to block the road in the first place…I don’t know what it was…just a nagging reminder. So when I got there, I didn’t begin by scolding him but rather by asking him the simple question of why he’d decided to stop the drainage. He proceeded to tell me that his family was really suffering from a lack of water to grow their home garden and he was desperate to get water so his vegetables would grow and he’d have food to feed his family. Well, guess what, all the sudden my road didn’t seem so flooded any longer. I realized that I could live with a little mud so that he could have enough water. Now when we see each other we are friendly whereas before we didn’t even notice one another.

Prison Official K Cham, trained by C2 participant

#24.There are often conflicts among prisoners and it’s my job to keep things under control. Recently there was a conflict between the senior prisoner in his cell and a guy who was always causing problems. This was just after I finished the training with Dara (a PEACE BRIDGES graduate) and I decided to address the problem differently than I always had before. I met with each of two guys separately to understand his side of the story and then brought them together to talk about how to avoid such conflicts in the future. I was amazed that they were honestly able to solve their conflict in this peaceful way. Up until that point, I was the one to take the decision and offer the punishment. You ask me what I would have done in a situation like this before the Peace Bridges

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training. The answer is simple: I would have simply sided with the one I liked best. Always. And now I realize that this is not fair and it’s not right so I won’t do this anymore. Now I want justice and I wasn’t so interested in this before- I just wanted order.

Male prison official, K Cham Prison, trained by C2 participant

#25. Two nice people in a small church community had a conflict with one another related to jealousy. Rather than keeping the problem between themselves, both of them shared the story with friends and soon there was a lot of gossip and the conflict got bigger from everyone adding to it. Finally I asked them to sit together with me and just listen to each other so that they could understand and we could put a stop to this conflict that was affecting many more people than just the two of them. Once they resolved their conflict the rest of the group was able to move on as well.

Male Church assistant pastor, C3

#26.I have a good marriage but because of PEACE BRIDGES it is now better. My wife was often frustrated because it didn’t feel to her that I listened when she was speaking. I remember once she took my face in her hands, looked into my eyes, and said, “LISTEN TO ME!!!” Before I just thought…oh that’s just the way she is…but I realize that she right and that I could show her I’m focused when she’s trying to tell me something. I admitted for the first time that I didn’t listen as much as she needed me to and that this hurt her. Before I hadn’t thought about how my behavior hurt her and knowing that, because I love her and don’t want to hurt her, I’ve changed.

Male Church assistant pastor, C3

#27.I am a greeter at the services at my church. Before taking the course I was very judgmental and if I would try to greet someone and they didn’t greet me back I quickly decided I didn’t like them. Now I realize that this doesn’t make any sense because I never did anything wrong and that it’s just a matter of them not seeing me or not registering to say hello.

Female church volunteer, C2

#28.I work with prisoners but I must say that I didn’t like them before I came to this course. The reasons were obvious- they did something wrong, they are poor and not well groomed, they are often not very bright and all this made it easy to judge as not likeable. This course helped me to realize that everyone is different and has problems and it’s those problems that led these people into making bad decisions. I try to remember this always and it helps me have more

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love and compassion in my work. I think it has actually happened because a funny thing happened to me recently. Someone stole my mobile phone and I was certain it could only have been one person. When I confronted him I was shocked when he readily admitted having done it. When I asked him why, he responded, “Because I needed one and didn’t have the money to pay for it and when I thought about who to take it from, I knew it would be best to take it from you because if I got caught I knew I’d be in a lot less trouble with you than with someone who is not so gentle!” He gave me my phone back and I forgave him.

Male NGO worker, C1

#29.I have to struggle to keep myself from being too proud and I’m still working to fight this- I’m not sure it ever goes away- but I realize now, after the course, more about myself and can admit my weaknesses knowing that all people have them. I was the sort of guy who figured out the status of a group in seconds and decided who I liked and didn’t like accordingly. I was arrogant at work and had little time for those in positions not as senior as my own. I realize this and in doing so have gotten to know people and care for them- the same people that were invisible to me before.

Male NGO worker, C1

#30.I don’t believe that it was the war that resulted in a lack of peace. I don’t remember that forgiveness was something we cared about before that either. It was the same before in that people don’t want to hear negative stuff and didn’t want to talk about what people did wrong. Khmer people don’t want to think about something that has already past if it is negative. This is how it’s always been I think. The training has helped me to understand that peace is something we need desperately here and that if we understand the root of the problem and acknowledge that all those who in conflict are in some way responsible for it and listen and have the desire to forgive and work on forgiving that we can be free from the weight of our problems.

Takeo New Life Trainee

#31.I know a woman who not only struggles with a physical disability but who is also regularly physically abused by her violent husband. She came to me once desperate and wanting to kill herself. I recognized that she had no one else to talk to and so I was careful to listen to her attentively, careful to be aware of my body language and not be distracted with my phone or other priorities. My job was to listen to her and allow her an opportunity to feel like someone was listening. This was enough to help her get past those thoughts of suicide.

Takeo New Life Trainee

#32.This story has to do with my wife. I was recently trying to come up with $100 in order to buy a new motorbike. I had a gold ring and was thinking of borrowing money and putting ring as collateral but was hesitant. I spoke with my wife and

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asked her if I could borrow the money from her and she wanted a guarantee that I’d pay it back and so I gave her the ring and she gave him the money. It went fine – I got the money and got the bike. Shortly thereafter, I was invited to a wedding and wanted to wear the ring so I asked my wife if I could borrow the ring back to wear to the wedding. She refused, saying that if I didn’t pay her back the money, she wouldn’t let me wear the ring. I was very frustrated: “How come this is our family, you are my wife and why can’t you understand the situation and just let me wear it.” Yes, the frustration was still there but the difference between now and before the course is that I am now able to acknowledge that this is just how she is- this is her identity and everyone has a different identity and we should respect this even if we don’t agree. What I need to do is to figure out the best way to live with this person whom I love despite her imperfection. Like the person who has one eye- just have to accept that this is the way it is- no sense thinking about having 2 eyes.


#33.My niece also is quick to anger. Once recently I locked the doors of the church school without remembering that she needed to get in there to do her job- tidying up and preparing for the group coming to use the room later. She got furious because someone had locked the door and was yelling for everyone to hear and when I came back I apologized for locking the door and showed her where the key was kept. This didn’t seem to help in making her any less angry. The good thing was that I remembered to be respectful even though I wish she hadn’t reacted so strongly and again, I just accepted her despite her anger. People not only have different identities, they also from different perspectives. We can’t assume we have the same understanding towards the same issue. This is always true. Male church assistant pastor, C2

#34. The assistant pastor of my church is also an assistant village chief in his village. He was a part of a training I did with some church leaders in my church related to the way we analyze conflict and helping people in conflict situations. After the training, he was asked to mediate a land dispute – two individuals in an ongoing heated argument were accusing each other of taking each other’s land. It was quite obvious who the rightful owner was and this was confirmed when the man whom the assistant pastor thought was guilty slipped some money into his pocket the day before the two in conflict were meant to meet with him to mediate the conflict. He came to me and described the situation and I encouraged him for his good analysis and good insight, and asked, “why not go and look at paperwork and do your job to the best of your ability and gather as much information as you can and analyze it. He went to the meeting the next day confident that he had all the facts in order and could look to solve the problem impartially with no bias, just the facts.


#35.This story is happening now. There has never been a clear boundary between our primary school in my community and one family’s land that borders on it. This case remains unresolved and has already been considered at the village, commune, and district levels. Sure that their property goes 5 meters into the school yard, the family cleared the land, expanded their pond, and planted a

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garden. It was only after this was done that the school announced the need for expansion and demanded that the family get off the land that had, until recently been considered part of the school grounds. From the family’s perspective, the school should have made this claim long ago- why wait until now to say it belongs to them and not on the first day they started clearing? The school’s reaction so far has been to get thumb prints from many families to force the family to give up the land but so far they have been unsuccessful. My wife was one of the teachers in the school and was familiar with what I learned from Peace Bridges, particularly related to conflict resolution and told the school principal I might be able to help. I met with him in order to understand the problem from the school’s perspective to better understand the problem and met with the family to understand their perspective and feelings. There had never been any negotiation with the family and the government didn’t do any negotiation- officials just sided with the school and what I figured was the best approach- that the school forget about the paperwork and try promoting a “win-win” situation by negotiating instead of fighting and trying to win. I asked him to maybe think about how to compensate or compromise for a solution that makes everyone happy. I think my role is to help them realize that there were more options and help to facilitate a process where they create options that are satisfactory to both the family and the school. The principal has agreed to allow me to try and help to facilitate generating some options. Male church pastor, C1

#36.My neighbor has many family problems and feels open to share with me about not having enough food to feed his family, poverty, illness, difficulty with his children who skip school and have other problems related to raising teenagers. Before the PEACE BRIDGES course, I struggled with that and other relationships because I’d always thought I had to come up with a solution whenever anyone sought me out for help. I realize that often what people need most is someone to listen to them (regardless of my own temptation to always give something or fix something. I also observe that listening without judging and criticism has resulted in people being more open and hopeful and in the end, this has brought about more healing. Male church pastor, C2

#37.I recently went to my orchard with his wife where there is a man who works for us by picking fruit. At the end of the day my wife wanted to give him some extra money for his help- Rs 10000- but when she attempted to give him the money he refused to take it – he just kept trying to give it back at us and when we were driving away the guy tossed the note into the car and I just kept it. My wife was very angry at me for not just tossing it out the window and driving off but I could tell he really didn’t want to take money from us that day. I recognized that my wife had a reason to be upset with me because she was trying to be generous and I prevented that plan and so I apologized and rather than getting angry with her for not seeing my side of the story, I accepted that her feelings were right also. I can definitely say that participating in the course has made me a better husband.


#38.

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I want to share a story about what happened with the landlord of our NGO office because it reflects a positive change in me since participating in the course. When we first rented the building we had an agreement that we would initially pay less because we did not use a middle person (who typically gets a commission from the landlord for helping to rent the property). She must have forgotten this because when she came to collect her money and it was less than she expected, she was very angry and rude. I was full of emotion myself and wanted to yell right back and “use the sword”- remembering when Jesus was arrested and his disciple cut the ear of the guard and Jesus said whoever uses the sword will be killed by the sword- something stopped me from trying to get back at the angry landlord in this way. Instead I remained calm and let her vent her frustration and when she was done screaming at me I asked her to please have a seat and went to retrieve the contract and calmly gave it over to her to review. She was embarrassed and apologetic and, I think, surprised that I was kind to her despite the fact that she was not kind to me.


#39.My younger sister had stomach surgery but even before that she was always was always losing her temper, finding fault with me, and having a lot of expectation that when I came home from work I would spend a few hours cleaning and washing despite having a pretty intense full-time job. I longed for personal time but I could see that my sister feels that she can’t manage (and shouldn’t have to manage) all the chores at home and I’ve gotten better at accepting that this is part of my responsibility at home. I am now much more aware of others’ feelings than before and less tempted to judge my sister and dismiss her as lazy but rather try to be fair and generous and kind because I love her.


#40.I helped lead a mini-workshop for my organization in mid-December. My section was on the conflict styles and how we react in a ‘calm’ or safe situation and in a ‘storm’ or external violent situation. This was very helpful in that in small groups we were able to more deeply explore options and see how we can avoid making the conflict worse.

Female MAC Participant

#41I used the skills to assist a friend in understanding what was going on in a conflict situation and advised him how to respond. Female MAC Participant

#42.In a staff meeting there were differing views between myself and one of my staff members. I began to power play, or put my foot down, wanting to end the particular discussion and move on. But I was aware that I was getting very frustrated and impatient while the staff member was getting very upset. Realizing that this wouldn’t be a good/ healthy place to end the discussion, for

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myself or the staff member, we took extra time to hear and recognize their concerns. Female MAC Participant

#43.It is difficult to love my nephew and before the Peace Bridges training, seeing so much as his foot print would make me have negative feelings. I really can say that I hated him because he is rude and arrogant and embarrassing. I want to talk about the Shalom lessons we had. Right after we had that lesson I became determined to get closer to him and I realized that my desire to just get far away from him would do nothing to help him. I decided then to use him as my moto-dup and try to influence him by loving him. Because he wanted the money he agreed to take me around (though I must say that it was even culturally embarrassing that he would ever take money from his aunt!). He was dismissive and would say things like “if the police arrest me for driving crazy, I’ll just call one of my big friends to get me out”, but I persevered and kept on trying to help to influence him and to love him. Recently he got a job in Koh Kong but he continued being rude- complaining that he had no girls to flirt with. He made me be ashamed but I maintained my determination to remain calm and just kept telling him that we’re Christian and we should be the light and salt, just like we learned from Peace Bridges. I made the decision like Jesus- whom the world would reject and he knew this and still he agreed to die. Just so, I was given no indication that my nephew would change. I was raised to think that I should get away from all things that don’t seem good but I will stay with my nephew in hopes that one day he will feel my love and have a change of heart.


#44One of the current situations I am involved in concerns a counselor supervisor S (for whom I am line-manager) and one of her staff N (also a counselor) whom she is responsible to manage and provide clinical supervision. I have had numerous conversations with S as the issues around N’s work have been on-going over at least 2-years. Some of this has involved venting, but also S has concerns around the quality of N’s work, the impact on children under her care and other colleagues both within and outside the organization. I have had one meeting with N where she described a couple of situations where she felt that S’s management and understanding of her situation was lacking. Although the two staff have met together on a few occasions, we had a joint meeting – them and myself, to share understanding around some of the core issues – trust, respect and communications. At this point I have asked them both to do some personal reflection around this and their expectations for themselves. We plan to come together soon and share reflections and see if we can reach some common areas of understanding and how this might look in terms of work-practice. Female MAC Participant

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Terms of Reference

Appendix 2: List of Field Visit Sites and Informants Field Visits: Mobilization; Methodist Bible School TrainingBati New Life Church FGD with trainees of C1 Peace BuilderKampong Cham Provincial PrisonTraining of PrisonersFGD with Prison OfficialsSambour Meas High School (observation of Sunrise Mobilization)Samroeung Thom CAMA Church

Interviews:1. Barry, PB Executive Director2. David, Advisor3. Mony, Training Coordinator4. Daniel, Mobilization Coordinator5. Sokha, Partnership Coordinator6. Staff Workshop Participants7. Lang Reaksmey, Ass’t Partnership

& Mobilization8. Somethea, Assistant Domestic

Violence Prevention9. Roth Chan Sophea Admin Staff10. Samoeun, Ass’t Training

Coordinator11. Solida, PA, Director12. Chunly, Assoc Training13. Wendy Scott, Former Trainer,

Board Member14. Esther Pastores, MAC Participant 15. Mary Westergren, MAC Paricipant,

Board Member16. Mom Sun 17. Mork Chaaydara C218. Sarath C219. Sun Da C220. Chan Remy C2 Chan Bunthan, C1

21. Soth Kann C122. Sa Saroeun, C123. Chan Socheat24. Svay Youthearath, C325. Sorn Vibol, C126. Srey Sochanda27. Samantha Baker-Evans, Sunrise

Board Director28. Chris Baker-Evans, PB Board

Member29. Emma Leslie, PB Evaluator,

Director, CPCS30. Rouh Saroun C1 31. San Sara C3 32. Svay Yothearath C3 33. Kry Chanda C1 34. Srey Sochanda C2 35. Saran C336. Heng Vannara C237. Teo Chamroeun, Pastor and CC

member, Takeo38. Chantoeun, C239. Yous Prak, C240. Daranee, Sunrise Director41. Johnny, C3, Board Member

FGD ParticipantsKampong Cham Prison StaffKeo SomboSeng SokhaHeng VutheaSeng SophalKeo Phally

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New Life Church, Bati District, Takeo1. Sok Neang, Church Member2. Toey Muth, Pastor3. Hout Pros, Church member4. Suen SIen, Church member5. Su Khim Chang, Pastor6. YOrn Vireak, Social Worker 7. Sien Toun, Pastor, 8. Taeo Chamroeun, Pastor, Commune Council Member9. Hong Seleck10. Thang Pauli11. Kim Chorun

MSC Workshop ParticipantsSaom Pa, Takeo Pastor, C2Somaly, Church Volunteer C2Kim Saan, NGO worker, Board member, C3Son Vibol, NGO Supervisor, C1Chamoeun, Pastor, C1Abraham, NGO Director, Pastor, C3Yous Prak, Pastor, C2

Email Informants Donors

Paulie ProctorFelecity Wever-Norris

MAC ParticipantsMary WestergrenShirley SinclairKathy AmstutzEsther PastoresCarrie MartinCarol Donna ByhamAlta (an apology for being away and unable to give input)

Appendix 3: Interview Questions and FGD Guides

Evaluation Interview Questions for Key Informants1. How long have you been connected to PB? In what role/capacity?2. Development of services

a. Describe the different services and why they evolved within the organization. b. Describe the trainee selection process. In what ways could it be strengthened?

3. Implementation of projectsa. Describe the PB staff. How well do staff understand the overall project vision of

PB?b. Are the staff clear about their roles and responsibilities? c. Do the staff have the skills to do the work? Is the workload suitable to their skills/

abilities and number of staff? What are the gaps in their abilities and skills vis a vis the program requirements?

d. What are the skills needed by staff to fulfill their duties?e. What is the level of staff commitment to fulfill their assigned tasks?f. How does PB go about monitoring progress towards anticipated results?

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g. How have the Board members fulfilled their roles as expected?h. How has the collaboration with other peace building agencies, churches networks

and local government offices enhanced/ impaired the project implementation?i. Are the training/ other capacity building support activities relevant to the needs

of the target groups? What seems to be particularly relevant? What might be missing?

j. What are program implementation issues, if any, that have affected relationships, efficiency, and effectiveness? How are these issues resolved?

k. What are the external factors affecting implementation?l. If PB were to scale back on the length of the CCMT trainings, what might be taken

from the comprehensive curriculum without compromising quality?m. To what extent to you think the current services result in change and

transformation? n. Is the Peace builders Alliance strong and cohesive? How might it be

strengthened?4. Impacts/ Outcomes of projects, recommendations

a. What would you consider to be the successes and failures of the projects?b. How have these impacted in PEACE BRIDGES (e.g., organizational structure,

philosophy and values, local churches, peace builders, community/church members, relationships between and among staff)? How have these contributed to: (a) churches, organizations, and individuals being better equipped to promote a more peaceful society

c. How confident are you that the goal of equipping Peace Builder with skills and confidence to do the work has been met. Why?

d. Can you share any stories of change that reflect this?e. Can you think of any examples of the impact PB has had on churches,

organizations, the wider society?f. How could relationships (within staff, with churches/organizations, other?) be

improved to increase PB’s potential as an organization?g. What should PB continue to do?h. As PB looks at developing a new strategy, what new directions do you think

should your organization take? Please describe in terms of new strategies, beneficiaries, geographical areas.

FGD QUESTIONS for those in Peace Builders Circles of Influence: 1. Please tell me your name and why it was you were selected to study with ___________

(PB Participant).2. What is the role of _____3. Can you describe what he/they have done in this community?4. What did he/they teach you?5. What have you learned from him?6. How have you used this information?

Can you give any real examples of how you’ve used the skills you were taught in the training.

7. Please tell me about conflict and how it is typically dealt with here. 8. What has changed in the way conflict is dealt with?9. Can you describe the way Cambodians face problems between neighbors, in

communities? What did the war change? 10. What do you think is required to rebuild trust in Cambodia?11. Religion: What issues around religion impact the potential success of this sort of work?

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12. What is the perception of resource persons coming from outside vs. resources from your own community?

13. Do you think we should try to fight these perceptions? Why/Why not? 14. Please describe a real situation in your life or work where these lessons have come in

handy.

Email Questionnaire for Donors1. What is the role of Tear Fund regarding Peace Bridges? 2. Please describe how you feel about quality of management of the organization. What is most

impressive/what could be strengthened? 3. Can you describe three examples of that which has impressed you most about Peace Bridges? 4. Can you describe three examples of that which concerns you most about Peace Bridges? 5. Are you satisfied with the role the Board plays in the organization? How might it be strengthened? 6. Have you been satisfied with the level and quality of communication in general? What could be

improved? 7. Have you been satisfied with the quality of written reports? What could be improved? 8. As PB looks toward completion of its new strategic design, what considerations do you feel are most

important? 9. Do you have concerns regarding financial support to PB given the global financial crisis? 10. Any other thoughts, concerns, comments?

Email Questionnaire for MAC Participants1. What were your expectations going into the course? To what extent were they met?

2. What skills did you get from the course? Which have you used? Can you think of any skills that you’ve never used and why?

3. Please describe, if you can, a situation in which you actually used the skills from the course?

4. How have you changed as a result of participating in the Peace Bridges course?

5. How have your work/your relationships changed as a result of your participating in the course?

6. In what way did the course leave you better equipped to address conflict in your own life? Your church/organization? Within your community?

7. How might Peace Bridges better support you as a peace builder?

8. Did you participate in the 9 February Alumni Practice Day? Was it valuable? If so, why? If not, what would have made it more valuable?

9. If you didn’t participate in the 9 February Alumni Practice Day, why not? Would you participate in such days in the future?

10. Can you give any advice to the Peace Bridges team as they look towards improving their services in the future?

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