PATHFINDERS 4 PEACE
Our Mission
We help prevent and end armed conflicts by facilitating dialogue and negotiation.
Our Values
We Believe That
People affected by conflict are the best ones to determine its outcome (outsiders shouldn’t impose solutions)
Violence is a barrier to development, prosperity, health, and well being
Durable peace comes from a commitment to meet people’s true needs
People can change negative behavior when they see their grievances are being heard and their needs are being addressed
Peacemaking requires talking not just to allies but also to enemies
Peacemaking processes should involve not just the armed actors but also civil society
Our Story
In late 2018, Ajume Wingo, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and a prince of the Nso fondom (kingdom) located in the English-speaking area of Cameroon and the heart of the armed conflict, was distressed at the violence tearing apart his homeland. He decided to take action and formed a conflict resolution team to help resolve it. He recruited Pádraig O'Malley, a prominent peacemaker with experience in Northern Ireland, South Africa and Iraq; and Suzanne Ghais, a seasoned practitioner of conflict resolution and scholar of peace processes.
The three constitute a unique insider-outsider peacemaking team: Prof. Wingo brings intimate knowledge and trusting relationships in-country; Prof. O’Malley brings in-depth peacemaking experience in several other conflicts; and Dr. Ghais brings academic expertise in peace processes and practical experience in conflict resolution. Together they have been working to find ways to move the conflict towards peace. With contacts among both the Cameroon government and the independence movement, the team is well positioned to advance an inclusive peace process.
In 2020, the team decided to form a nongovernmental organization in order to provide an institutional home for this important work and to enable more focused effort. Prof. Darren Kew came on board, bringing his expertise in West Africa, democratization, conflict resolution and civil society. Pathfinders4Peace Inc. was born, a registered nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status in the United States.
“In my culture, we say ‘a half is more than a whole’”--that’s about the value of sharing, compromise, and community. --Ajume Wingo