Craig McLoughlin
Mark's London Marathon
Fundraising for International Alert
Story
Working for three decades out of the limelight to build meaningful, lasting peace
I’m running the London Marathon on 24 April to raise money for International Alert, one of the world’s leading peace building charities. Set up thirty years ago by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Martin Ennals and others in an effort to seek to understand the root causes of conflict, International Alert now work in over 40 countries around the world helping communities handle their conflicts without resorting to violence. They also advise on international policies and practices, ensuring that the voices and needs of local communities are heard in national governments and international institutions.
In just one example of the impact that they're having, International Alert has been working in Rwanda since 1996. Their programme works to address the needs of all the groups affected personally, socially and economically by the genocide. Trauma counselling is one of the ongoing initiatives, allowing the recipients to share and learn from their experiences, forgive and reconcile. Community members are trained in mediation and facilitate Alert’s dialogue clubs, where people work through their issues. Microfinance is available to groups of perpetrators and victims to encourage them to rebuild and prosper together. There is still a long way to go but Consolata, a survivor of the genocide, says she was greatly helped by trauma counselling. She said, “Trauma counselling opened up my heart; it allowed me to forgive those who had committed crimes, especially the family that murdered my sister.”
This is one of the many untold stories of the difference this kind of community level work is making and how important it continues to be years after the international spotlight has moved on.
The support that International Alert provides is harder to visualise than that of many other NGOs but it's activities are at the heart of trying to prevent and resolve conflict, promoting an inclusive peace and providing a platform for longer-term development.
To see more of International Alert's work visit: