In Uvira municipality, conflict over land and customary power has repeatedly turned deadly. Without a functioning justice system to turn to, communities have had little choice but to endure. Local peacebuilding organisation Fondation Chirezi (FOCHI) has been working to change that. Over time, they established 76 Peace Courts across the region: community-rooted spaces for resolving disputes before they turn violent, now widely trusted by the people they serve.

Some conflicts run deeper than a local court can reach. For these, FOCHI established three Super Peace Courts in Uvira, bringing together activists, community members, the police, and local government and justice officials. What makes them different is not just their reach, but their approach. Thirty skilled mediators, ten for each court, working across different communities, focus on respectful dialogue and reconciliation rather than retribution.

The success of these courts has been evident. When tensions between the ruling families of two villages threatened to escalate, one of the Super Peace Courts brought the two sides to the table and resolved the dispute. Across their areas, the courts have had a consistent impact on land-related conflicts, giving communities a way to resolve disagreements without anyone having to win at someone else's expense.

In Uvira, FOCHI has created practical alternatives to violence, and communities are using them.