Projects for Peace Alumni Award
ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é alumni who have previously received a Projects for Peace grant are eligible for the Projects for Peace Alumni Award, which was initiated in 2023.
The Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation at Middlebury College in Vermont sponsors the , which recognizes individuals who demonstrate innovation and persistence in building peace and transforming conflict. The $50,000 award, given to one individual, was created in 2023 to support the ongoing peacebuilding efforts of previous Projects for Peace grant recipients.
encourages young adults around the globe to develop innovative, community-centered responses to the world’s most pressing issues.
Recent Alumni Award Recipient
Congratulations to the first Projects for Peace Alumni Award recipient from the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é!
Bienfait Mugenza ’21
Area of study: Political science (BA)
Mugenza is from Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. He was awarded a Projects for Peace grant in 2018 with classmate Philemon Rono ’21 of Kenya. The two ran a workshop in Kigali, Rwanda, called “Peace through Entrepreneurship,” that brought together youths from Congo and Rwanda. Those African countries have seen rising tensions for decades.
Mugenza is the founder of the , whose mission is to develop young entrepreneurial leaders and peacemakers who will transform the Democratic Republic of Congo into a “more peaceful and prosperous country where everyone can live and thrive without the daily fear of violence and war by 2030.”
The center’s programs include entrepreneurship, leadership, peacebuilding, conservation agriculture, and a new program in digital literacy.
Mugenza was nominated for the alumni award by ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é’s Fellowships office.
“Bienfait impressed us with his consistent, day-to-day, grassroots work of transforming conflict, misunderstanding, and marginalization into a foundation for peace, respect, and cooperation through dialogue, skill-building for self-reliance, collaboration across differences, and the civic work necessary for a thriving society,” director Belinda Redden says. “He is doing peace work in the place where the need could not be more urgent. This is his life's work.”
Middlebury president Laurie L. Patton adds: “We are deeply impressed with Bienfait’s creative work and dedication to lasting peace. His efforts represent the best ideals of conflict transformation.”
The alumni award will aid the development of Tech4Peace, a digital literacy program at the Congo Peace Academy that equips youth to critically assess and counter false information. Tech4Peace also aims to promote transparency, civic engagement, and interethnic harmony online.
Mugenza was a at ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é. He refers to his time at the University as “a turning point” in his journey to creating the peace academy. “The interdisciplinary nature of my political science program broadened my understanding of global conflicts and their underlying socio-political dynamics,” Mugenza says. “Engaging with diverse perspectives and academic settings sharpened my analytical skills and deepened my commitment to bringing about positive change in conflict-affected regions such as the DRC.”