ATOP Humanitarian Empowerment, Peace Building, Leadership and Restorative Justice Mission

ATOP Humanitarian Empowerment, Peace Building, Leadership and Restorative Justice Mission
In Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, and DR Congo June 29 – July 12
Team Members: Dr. Ani Kalayjian & Charito Calvachi-Mateyko, JD

ATOP Team Dr. Ani Kalayjian, and Dr. Charito Calvachi-Mateyko arrive from United States to give lectures and workshop on trauma healing, mind,-body-spirit healing, yoga, meditation and restorative justice.

Dr. Kalayjian is a Psychologist, traumatologist, Professor and community organizer, with four books on healing from trauma, forgiveness & reconciliation and disaster management, working at the United Nations since 1989. Charito Calvachi-Mateyko, JD a native of Ecuador is a restorative justice consultant and practitioner who has led peace-building efforts in many countries around the world.
Since their arrival in Nairobi, Kenya in June the team has achieved great success as they have worked with the following groups:

1. Kwangware Women’s Group, about 20 women gathered to share their experiences, stresses of life, and issues with their spouses’ alcoholism. The group was given energetic healing, given tools for everyday survival, and ways to engage in approaching the addiction issue.
2. Kibera Small Business Women’s Group, at Kibera coordinated by the Youth Volunteers for Change, 25 people who were given leadership skills, stress reduction mindfulness breathing exercises, as well as Reiki, energetic healing
3. Children’s Group, 75 children were gathered excited to greet ATOP Team. The Four Agreements were shared on how to live life stress free, energetic healing, yoga and chakra balancing exercise, combined with song and dance were provided.
4. Kibera Youth Volunteers for Change, was another lively meeting of 25 youth ages 17-29. Where the Four Agreements of life was shared, and processing of their own challenges followed with meditation and mindfulness breathing techniques.
5. A two-day training in Mathare, to 22 former gang members. Developing emotional intelligence was shared as well as the importance of the circle of dialogue.
5. On Sunday 1 July, ATOP Team took part in the Maranatha Church services in Kwangware, and both team members gave sermon to hundreds of congregation on love, forgiveness, and restorative vision of justice
6. The team attended the Karika ageing group in Kawangare.
7. On July 2, a workshop was held with paralegals and prison warders in Halinguni.
8. The team was invited to give a workshop at the University of Nairobi in the Psychology Department with the invitation of the Dean and Chair. Over 135 students, faculty and staff gathered and had a transformative experiential session to understand what trauma does in the body, mind, emotions and spirit and the restorative ways to cope with it.

The team is leaving on the 3rd of July to Rwanda to continue their work and from their to DR Congo.
Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP) at Meaningfulworld, founded in 1990, a charitable NGO affiliated with the United Nations has achieved recognition as a leader in training humanitarian outreach professionals around the world in over 40 countries. ATOP has been working in Africa in Sierra Leone, Kenya, Rwanda, and DR Congo. This is the 3rd mission to Kenya bringing mind-body-eco awareness, mindfulness, meditation, energy balancing, peace building, conflict transformation, leadership, and restorative justice. www.meaningfulworld.com, END.

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