Children-Led Community Peace Labs was created to respond to the persistent gaps in child-centered peacebuilding in Kenya. We saw that children were often left out of meaningful peace processes, despite being among the most influential shapers of community behaviour and values. By establishing structured programs that empower these groups with practical skills, dialogue platforms, and creative tools, we sought to provide a transformative, community-driven approach that strengthens relationships, nurtures resilience, and builds a culture of peace from the ground up.
In practice, the Children-Led Community Peace Labs, children practice empathy, communication, and peer mediation using storytelling, games, drama, and creative arts. Teachers and school administrators are trained to support these activities, integrate peace practices into classrooms, and foster inclusive school cultures. The innovation combines structured learning, creative expression, and community engagement to transform schools, faith institutions, and neighborhoods into ecosystems of harmony, resilience, and social cohesion.
The program began with a pilot of 16 children across 5 schools in a single Nairobi slum, focusing on experiential peace education through storytelling, games, drama, and peer mediation. The early success of the Children-Led Community Peace Labs (CLCP-Labs), demonstrated in improved peer relationships, reduced conflict, and active child-led initiatives prompted interest from neighboring schools, local community leaders, and church networks. Through word-of-mouth, teacher referrals, inter-school collaborations, and engagement with different stakeholders, the program gradually scaled beyond Nairobi, reaching 7 counties and now impacting 55 primary and secondary schools. Teachers and school administrators remain central in this spread, training new cohorts, integrating Labs into school routines, and mentoring peer mediators, while children serve as ambassadors of peace within and across communities. This gradual, evidence-driven expansion demonstrates how a locally grounded, child-led innovation can grow organically while maintaining its core principles of empathy, dialogue, and community cohesion.
When we started this work, we were focusing solely on training and supporting children to become peer mediators and peace ambassadors in their schools. As the our progressed, we recognized that sustainable impact required strengthening the adults around the children. We therefore expanded the innovation to build the capacity of teachers, who now serve as peace educators, facilitating Labs, mentoring peer mediators, and integrating conflict transformation practices into daily classroom routines.
At the same time, we engage parents and faith leaders through workshops, dialogue sessions, and take-home activities, ensuring that children’s peace skills are reinforced at home and churches. School administrators have also become active partners, supporting policy integration, safeguarding measures, and school-wide initiatives that embed peace into institutional culture.
These modifications have transformed the innovation from a child-focused pilot into a holistic ecosystem where children, teachers, parents, faith leaders and school leaders work together to nurture emotional literacy, prevent conflict, and promote a lasting culture of peace across schools and communities.
If you want to try the Children-Led Community Peace Labs, the first step is to express interest and connect with Re-Imagining New Communities. We start by understanding your school or community context, including the age group of children, the number of classes, and existing peace or social-emotional programs.
Next, we train teachers and school administrators on child-centered peacebuilding, emotional literacy, and peer mediation so they can facilitate the Labs. Children are then introduced to the Labs, where they learn through storytelling, creative arts, games, and structured mediation exercises.
We also engage parents and caregivers, providing guidance on reinforcing peace and communication skills at home, and creating supportive environments. Throughout the process, our team works closely with school leadership to integrate the Labs into school routines, monitor progress, and adapt activities to the unique needs of your community.
