In Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Distance Learning MAs in Reconciliation/Reconciliation and Peacebuilding
What happened next? Exploring the careers of ten University of Winchester alumni
MA RECONCILIATION/ RECONCILIATION AND PEACEBUILDING 2013-2023 UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER
This booklet of alumni stories serves to capture some of the experiences of students who have undertaken our distance learning Masters degrees in Reconciliation/Reconciliation and Peacebuilding at the University of Winchester. Drawing on the work of the St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace; Rodeemosel Diálogo (Embrace Dialogue); the Winchester Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace and other organisations, these courses support you in developing an in-depth understanding of diverse perspectives on peacebuilding and reconciliation. They critically consider the complexities of interpersonal and intercommunal conflict, peacebuilding and reconciliation and the connections between theory and practice. They address why individuals and groups around the world engage in violence, and examine which processes are needed to transform relationships, structures and institutions during and after violent conflict. In addition, they also teach you how to use conflict transformation methods such as facilitation, dialogue and mediation. Finally, the courses also enable you to conduct independent research. We hope you enjoy exploring what happened next to some of our amazing alumni!
Visit our course pages at winchester.ac.uk/courses or follow the QR codes: MA Reconciliation and Peacebuilding
MA Reconciliation
HISHAM AL-OMEISY I have over 20 years of experience working with government and non-governmental organisations, am a regular speaker in conflict and human rights conferences and conventions, and am a media commentator with bylines in the press, reports and documentaries on Yemen and the region. I came upon the MA in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding and going through the programme modules, knew I struck gold and that it was a perfect fit for my needs. The degree and the learning experience propelled me to new heights. The depth and breadth of my analysis, the soundness of recommendations, and the quality of my writing and delivery of ideas have exponentially improved. I used my degree to fill gaps in the knowledge of the main stakeholders dealing with the conflict in Yemen and proposing interdisciplinary and holistic approaches in better understanding the roots of the conflict and pushing for improvement in the design of the peace process. I have since been invited to multiple highlevel meetings and conferences as a speaker, contributor and an expert conflict analyst. I have also joined the European Institute of Peace as a senior advisor, where I continue to utilise what I learned to advance my career. I also spearhead a multi-year project, the Pathways for Reconciliation, where a bottom-up inclusive approach is meant to help with bringing about a positive peace in Yemen.
KAT BREALEY I chose to pursue an MA in order to deepen my understanding of peace and conflict, themes which I had come to believe were of critical importance both at an interpersonal level and on a global scale. I found the modules fascinating and the tutors supportive and approachable. I particularly enjoyed being able to dig into specific areas of interest by choosing my own essay topics. After graduating, I applied the concepts and models I’d learned to my interfaith work, increasing its effectiveness. In my current role working for an NGO, I manage programmes and partnerships in Iraq and Egypt. I support our civil society partners to design and implement initiatives to benefit vulnerable people in their communities through education, healthcare and community development. I also serve as trustee of two peacebuilding organisations – one focused on advancing human rights in South East Asia, and the other on advocating for civilians affected by conflict. I’m grateful for the way the MA programme gave me space to learn, reflect and grow. It cemented my passion, putting me on a career trajectory which so far has been stimulating, challenging and fulfilling.
MOHAMMED MAHROUSA When I came to Turkey, I arrived with a goal to support Syrians through working in the humanitarian sector. Many people said that a career in such a sector would be temporary, but the MA programme was a lifeline for me and a way to progress in my career. I studied part time. Doing an online programme was perfect for me while I was starting my career in Turkey because I studied and had lectures in the evening. This meant I could manage and keep everything on track which is important for anyone but personally it meant that I did not have to disrupt my career or living situation. I’m currently working for a local NGO called the Bahar Organization, working on the Syria humanitarian response. I was a volunteer, then a coordinator, then the programmes manager working on multiple sectors like food security, water supply and sanitation, shelter, health and education. I have become the head of programmes, in just 5 years since starting my career. Getting a degree and studying higher education focused on peace and humanitarian aid has been quite valid during this crisis. I’ve been able to apply my skills from this MA which was very valuable and practical to me. I’ve had to use the knowledge from my degree for my work and I was even able to support my organisation in its business development. Peacebuilding and why it is needed to restore peace is a concept that is not talked about in Syria. I have engaged in preparing new agents for peace by facilitating workshops and training sessions and I would love to carry on this concept in Syria in the future and to be a tutor. It’s all related to opportunities and competencies; if you have a degree you get a better job and income. Struggling to get into the humanitarian sector was the motivation I needed to start this MA degree.
ALISON FERNANDES I work at the University of Liverpool and I chose to study Reconciliation and Peacebuilding after spending time on the Thai/Myanmar border and learning more about the ongoing conflict there. At the time I started my Masters I was working for a national student organisation in the interfaith sector and felt this degree would give me further skills in this area. I then moved on to working for the British Red Cross in year two of my studies. I found the online study experience really positive. I first started the Masters when my son was a year old and I found the online distance learning suited my needs and timeframe. I also enjoyed attending conferences as a student and was lucky to meet John Paul Lederach, conflict transformation expert, when he attended one too. I really enjoyed meeting fellow students from across the world, hearing different perspectives and learning more about their lived experiences. I will always remember fellow students being unable to join the session one evening because of imminent bombing, and when another student was taken hostage in his country. The chance to meet virtually and connect with other students living in conflict zones, and learning of the positive work they were doing in their home countries was invaluable. Since I graduated I have taken on some consultancy. I also now work in a university setting which would not have been possible had I not completed this course. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to enhance their knowledge and skills in this area.
FARUKU KIBABA I am a youth leader, founder and executive director of Great Lakes Peace Center in Uganda. I am an international Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Trainer, climate change activist and a social accountability and peace advocate. I develop training and mentoring programmes for youth. I have mobilised youth at grassroot level in rural Uganda in climate change through renewable energy and clean cooking with support from WWF. Our local initiatives that translated and domesticated the SDGs in Uganda led to me being a finalist in the UK SDGs Action Awards. I studied the MA in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding in order to perfect my practice with the relevant theories and experiences from several practitioners around the world. The modules within the MA were very specific and had so many interlinks that made each part very relevant and a contributing block to another. The distance learning programme involved an online platform that I never found any trouble with after the orientation was another encouraging experience . Since graduating I have set up a consultancy to support peacebuilding and conflict resolution work in my country. My full-time work at Great Lakes Peace Center has also been enhanced since our programming now streamlines issues of peace in our daily work in new ways. Unlike before, we also now routinely include indicators of peacefulness in our monitoring and evaluation activities.
SHERISE VOS Perpetual student, mum, and humanitarian logistician, I was born and raised in South Africa and have since moved where my work has taken me. I began my humanitarian journey by assisting refugees in Malaysia and later transitioned to the provision of medicine and medical services in Yemen to those affected by the civil war. I currently work for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), coordinating the supply of aid to impacted communities in Afghanistan. Seeking a Masters degree in this field, my aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the root causes of conflicts and, more importantly, the methods for healing, rebuilding and reconciling in the aftermath of conflict. Working in emergency contexts leaves limited time for formal study. I was happy to discover this online course, offering the flexibility to attend lectures after work. I truly appreciated the opportunity to connect with fellow students who shared similar backgrounds, faced common challenges, and harboured a shared commitment to peacebuilding. We learned a great deal from our highly experienced lecturers and each other. Conflicts often lead to extreme polarisation, compelling individuals to take sides. The goal of the ICRC is to uphold a space for neutral and impartial humanitarian action, enabling us to reach those affected by armed conflict and provide assistance. The course helped me to analyse and comprehend the situation from diverse perspectives, allowing me to concentrate on delivering aid to all those affected. Moreover, it contributed to a deeper understanding of impacted communities—their challenges and needs—which is crucial for developing appropriate interventions. In the future, I aspire to play a more active role in postconflict reconciliation and social cohesion efforts. I am confident the course has equipped me with the foundation needed to progress in this direction.
LYDIA NASAMBU My desire to study reconciliation and peacebuilding began in 2002 at the height of an internal violent conflict in the western province of Kenya. The violence severely affected my family and it left us shocked and traumatised.This led me into a long period of reflection as to how communities in the East African region can be made to live in harmony. Through my BA in Theatre and Film Technology and my volunteer work for the Community Organisation for Reform and Empowerment, I became interested in healing victims of war through theatre-therapy. This led to an interest in studying peacebuilding and reconciliation. I loved the whole experience of my study at Winchester especially its international approach that brings into dialogue the various critical perceptions, cultures and experiences of conflict and its resolution in a range of different countries and contexts. The degree has had a definite impact on my career. It has not only strengthened my peacebuilding professional status but also offered a natural avenue for career progression to become a competent and professional practitioner. Consequently, I have been able to contribute to high quality practice, raising standards in the peacebuilding interventions in the region through evolving and encouraging practices that acknowledge local solutions to achieve peace. I am currently a senior technologist at Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya.
MUHYELDIN MOHAMMED I am a dedicated, passionate professional with almost 10 years of experience with the United Nations and other international nongovernmental organisations working in the Darfur Region of Sudan. Through my work, I have gained solid experience in the field of peacebuilding, conflict resolution and conflict management and I have substantial knowledge in the field of peace processes and programme management. I chose to study the MA in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding due to my motivation and desire to mitigate and resolve the bloody inter-communal conflicts in Darfur. My study experience with the University of Winchester through the distance learning programme was very interesting. My highlights included interacting and learning from others about reconciliation and peacebuilding practices and sharing my own work experiences with them. The MA in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding enabled and qualified me to work with international organisations. In December 2022 I joined the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) where I work as a consultant for issues related to human rights and peacebuilding. All in all, the opportunity of the MA will continue to have more positive impacts in all walks of my life as well as to service the wellbeing of humanity in general.
VICTORIA FIFIELD I am based in Scotland and my background is in the arts, spanning visual arts, design and education. In 2015-2016 I spent a year living and working in Israel/Palestine. It was a really life-changing experience and left me with many questions. When I returned to the UK I continued reading and learning about the complexities of the situation. I found I wanted to go deeper and learn about the dynamics of conflict and also to investigate the work of several peacebuilding initiatives I had come across whilst abroad. I chose to study at Winchester as it offered the option of distance learning and the range of topics offered all looked really interesting and relevant to my questions. I really enjoyed the challenge and appreciated the depth of the content. All the modules were very thorough and also offered lots of choice in terms of the particular contexts and conflicts to which you could apply your learning. I also enjoyed getting to know other students from around the world, some of whom I am still in touch with today. Many of the concepts we studied are applicable to diverse settings such as work I have done in various community arts projects. I also joined the board of a youth arts charity working in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This has been a great way to develop the skills and approaches I learned on the MA and contribute to important peacebuilding work.
CAMERON IQBAL I decided to do the MA in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding to understand how to resolve conflicts and tear down walls between religions and communities. The course was amazing and reflected on various different areas such as religions and historical episodes and accounts. It also explained the involvement of women in resolving conflicts and the need for dialogue. I wanted that knowledge so that I can utilise the teaching in a personal and professional capacity. I enjoyed the course. It was undertaken by lecturers that were very knowledgeable and fun to be taught by. The breadth of knowledge they had was amazing. I like to read widely and learn new things, and this course was a stepping stone for me to undertake a PhD in this area. The best memory was the dissertation, as I was able to bring together all the strands of what I had learnt. Since I graduated, I have used the degree to assist in resolutions between a couple in family matters. The course has been helpful to understand different religions which assisted me to understand the concerns relating to religious differences. I also undertook further degrees in the area of history to better understand key events which was a direct result of the excellent teaching in Winchester University.
BE THE DIFFERENCE
Visit our course pages at winchester.ac.uk/courses or follow the QR codes: MA Reconciliation and Peacebuilding
MA Reconciliation
If you would like to find out more, please contact programme leader Dr Majbritt Lyck-Bowen at Majbritt.Lyck-Bowen@winchester.ac.uk