Seeking your support...

In December, I'll be traveling to the small central African nation of Burundi to volunteer for three months with the African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI), a Quaker organization doing community reconciliation work there. I'm writing to tell you a little bit about my interest, the organization, and to ask for your support in this endeavor.

I've spent the past year at the Quaker United Nations Office, an organization dedicated to helping the UN live up to its mandate to reduce conflict. Burundi, with its large Quaker population, has been an important focus of our work. I have been moved by the incredible efforts of Burundi's people to overcome patterns of violence and seek reconciliation, and I'm thrilled to be working with, and learning from, the facilitators of these programs.

Burundi experienced similar ethnic conflict to that which occurred in its twin to the north, Rwanda and is occuring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pre-colonial and colonial legacies created a society bitterly divided between Hutu and Tutsi, and those divisions have flared several times into brutal violent conflict. Whereas Rwanda's genocide took place over the course of a few months, violence in Burundi stretched over more than a decade, and has claimed more than 300,000 lives. Through the efforts of Burundians, regional powers and the international community, a fragile peace now exists in the country. But there is much more to be done to support Burundians in their efforts to consolidate that peace.

The African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI) is a Quaker organization that is working for community reconciliation in Burundi and other countries in the region, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo. To this end, AGLI holds workshops involving Burundian victims and perpetrators, helping them come together to heal from the trauma inflicted by ethnic conflict and think about ways to promote reconciliation more broadly. With limited resources and tremendous and inspiring efforts of the AGLI facilitators, the program is contributing to a transformation of the conflict in Burundi. For more information on the African Great Lakes Initiative in Burundi, please see http://www.aglionline.org/publications/peaceways.htm.

I have been working hard to save money over the past few months, and will be covering all my living and travel expenses for my time in Burundi—a total of $3,000. AGLI also asks that volunteers contribute directly to its programs, so I am asking friends and family members for help meeting my fundraising goal of $1,200. Would you consider making a donation of $20, $50 or even $100 or more to this inspiring program? It would mean a lot to me and would go directly support truly cutting-edge reconciliation work.

If you are willing to give, donations can also be made on the AGLI website (www.aglionline.org; kindly include "AGLI/Gabriel Morden-Snipper/Burundi" in the "Designate my donation" field so that I can keep track of how much I raise). Because the online donation system carries transaction costs, AGLI prefers checks for donations over $100. If you would like to donate with a check, please make it out to "Friends Peace Teams/AGLI," with "Gabriel Morden-Snipper/Burundi" in the memo line to:
Friends Peace Teams/AGLI
1001 Park Ave
St. Louis, MO 63104-3720

While AGLI will continue to accept donations after I go, I would like to have the bulk of them by November 21st if possible.

I thank you very much for your consideration, and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Peace, Gabe