What does it mean to keep choosing hope in an increasingly divided world?
In this edition, we share a powerful report from Sisters Not Strangers, highlight our partnership with Afri in Ireland, and emphasise Caplor Horizons’ anti-racist approach.
Keeping hope alive
To keep choosing hope in today’s world can be very challenging. It requires resilience and responding to growing division with courage, compassion, and creativity. Across continents, we see how fear and hostility can take hold – from violent clashes in Nepal, to rising political animosity in the US, to the ongoing devastation in Gaza. Yet each of us can help shape a different story, one rooted in solidarity, justice, and peace.
In moments like these, we have the opportunity to express what we stand for, to use our individual and collective voices to speak out. Martin Niemöller’s famous words, “First they came…”, remind us that silence in the face of injustice allows harm to spread unchecked. When we raise our voices with courage, act with compassion, and draw on creativity, we can help keep hope alive and take steps towards healing and peace.
One of our strategic goals is 'amplifying impact'. We believe in elevating the voices of 'experts by experience'. Giving them a platform to share their stories and advocate for the changes they want to see, rather than speaking on their behalf. Here are a few examples of organisations and individuals doing great work in this space...
Right to Heal: Rebuilding Community Trust and Support
We are pleased to share with you the Right to Heal: Rebuilding Community Trust & Support report, produced by our partners at the Sisters Not Strangers (SNS) coalition. This powerful research documents the mental health impact of the 2024 far-right riots in the UK on refugee and asylum-seeking women and their children. This feels especially timely following renewed division in the UK this summer.
Alongside personal accounts of fear, entrapment and long-lasting trauma, the report highlights resilience, solidarity, and the power of community-led support. Faith groups, grassroots women’s organisations and peer networks provided comfort, advocacy and healing spaces when trust in wider society was deeply shaken.
Members of the coalition are pictured below with Lorna and Rosie during a strategy retreat in May of this year.
Our Work in Action: Afri
This vital work is at the heart of our recent collaboration with Afri. Afri (Action from Ireland) works to advance peace, global justice, and the rights of people and the planet through education, campaigning, and advocacy.
Afri’s vision is of a more just, peaceful, equitable, and sustainable world. Afri addresses urgent issues including militarisation, climate justice, food sovereignty, and solidarity with communities facing oppression.
Ian has recently been working closely with the CEO and Board on their strategy renewal and was with them in Dublin last weekend. Afterwards, Laura Foley, the Chair said:
"Caplor Horizons were fantastic! Ian guided the Afri team through an engaging and constructive experience that not only deepened our learning but also our sense of connection. These bonds will last well beyond the strategy process, leaving the Afri Board and Staff stronger and better able to take on the challenging work of tackling global injustice and militarisation.”
Our Anti-Racist Approach
We are guided by our anti-racist approach (see below). We believe in the importance of understanding before we fix, having challenging conversations, being open to seeing things differently and transforming rather than performing. We know this journey is often uncomfortable, but we believe it is essential to creating lasting and meaningful change.
“We live now in a global village and we are in one single family. It’s our responsibility to bring friendship and love from all different places around the world and to live together in peace.”
– Jackie Chan
Best wishes,
Rosie, Kemal, Ian and Lorna