Participants:

Widows of the ex-camp soldiers; these are women whose husbands died in action while the rebel group in northern Uganda was active. Now the group has reformed and has pledged to join the government in peace building. Many of the group members have surrendered their guns and are back in their villages. Our first project was to sensitise the former rebels and teach them ways of farming both for food and income generation. The workshop was such a success that more of the same workshops were requested. This was a follow up and was particularly for the widows who were not able to attend the first workshop.

Lira district women leaders

Since it was a women's workshop we decided to include the women leaders of Lira. Each subcounty sent their women representative. There are 28 subcounties and each was represented. The District Women's Council sent all its official to the workshop. Because it had all the top women leaders of the district, a lot of publicity was done on the local radios

There were also 7 teachers and 17 students from the hosting school who attended the workshop.

This workshop was organised in Lira by the following people:

• Lt. C.P. Okello : He was the leader of the recently reformed rebel group. Originally, he was the Vice to the rebel leader Mr. Opon-Acak, who was murdered in 1997 amid speculations of overseas sponsorship for his group. Since then the group was wooed to surrender led by the Minister for the North, Hon. Omony Ojok, assissted by the Hon. Betty Okwir, Minister in the Vice President's office.
• Mr. Tony Ogwang-Adwari: He is the District Youth Council Chairperson. RYS and IRFF sponsored a youth workshop of the same nature after the ex-camp workshop.
• Mrs. Mary Awany: She is the District Women Council Chairperson. This workshop was officially under her.

Main Facilitators

1. We had the key facilitators from the National Environment Management Authority who gave lectures and practical lessons on intercropping of perennial crops like coffee and bananas with wood lots like neem trees and muzizi; making energy saving stoves; backyard gardening and construction of "A" Frames for water conservation.
2. Mrs. Joyce Opon-Acak: Joyce is a woman who really has deep feelings for peace. She loved her late husband greatly. I met her for the first time and we shared a lot about her life and her husband's views. She is a graduate in Social Sciences from Greece where she met her husband, they married and lived there for over 20 years. She talked to the women leaders saying that she has forgiven those who murdered her husband and that she is ready to promote peace in her district. Mrs. Opon-Acak also talked about child care and nutrition. Her lecture was simple yet very educative on how to use the local available foods for a well balanced meal for the family. She talked about what an ideal marriage should be. She encouraged women to communicate regularly with their husbands.
3. Mr. Ragadish from the House of Dawda: Mr. Ragadish is a prominent Indian trader. He talked tot the women about economic empowerment and marketing of their food products. He donated 3 boxes of biscuits and 5 boxes of fruit drinks to the workshop.
4. Santa Bongonyinge: she is the representative of the Ministry of Gender in Lira district. Her lecture was on leadership.
5. Lucy Ocen: she is the Women's Representative on the National Council of Women and also Deputy Chairperson on the Council, at Lira district level. She talked about loan facilities in the district and encouraged the women to apply for loans.

Other facilitators included: Robert Amwana, Pastor in Charge of the S.D.A. Mission in the northern region, who gave morning devotion and reflections for 2 days. He gave wonderful references from the Bible on women, hard work and life in general. Most of his advice was put up on posters in the hall. b) FFWPU team who gave lectures on family values and AIDS prevention.

Opening Ceremony

The workshop was opened by the Residential District Commissioner of Lira, Mr. Joseph Arwata. In his speech he emphasized the need for peace and unity. He called for collective responsibility. He also advised the women to sow love and encouraged transparency, accountability of action and sacrifice. He said that we must hand over peace to our descendants, but if we do not have peace we cannot do so. So we must first achieve peace. The school welcomed the RDC with a parade and sang delightful songs praising the RDS, IRFF and NEMA.

Closing Ceremony

Hon. Betty Okwir, who also presented the certificates and gifts to the participants, closed our workshop. Each participant received:

• a certificate from IRFF
• 5 kgs of bean seeds
• a hoe
• coffee and neem tree seedlings
• 15 kgs of upland rice which was donated by Hon. Betty Okwir

The participants were very happy with these gifts. They commented that now they would move forward not backward, and that they now have life and hope.