Irmtraud Kauschat
Trainer
I grew up in post-war Germany with guilt and shame about our history – having started WWII and being responsible for holocaust. NVC supported me to differentiate between guilt/shame and responsibility. It is out of this responsibility and being inspired by Marshall Rosenberg’s work that I chose to share NVC in regions of conflict like Israel/Palestine, Kenya, Ukraine, Somalia and recently Nigeria to support reconciliation and social change. It is important to me to contribute to a world where everybody’s needs matter, to get to know about the privileges I have and to be curious how I can use them in a collaborative way with people who have less access to resources.
My passion is to share to gift of Nonviolent Communication with people who want to live more peacefully with themselves, e.g. stop judging and blaming themselves, and with others, and at the same time set healthy boundaries.
At the International Intensive Training in Abuja in December 2024 and the retreat in Enugu in April 2026 I learned that people, especially women, experience different layers of violence. There is domestic violence, gender based violence, interfaith violence which often relates to violence about resources.
I also worked with participants on conflicts amongst them and we expereinced together how they can find solutions themselves to transform conflicts into deeper connection.
We will explore together different ways to transform conflicts into connection so participants will hopefully leave with a few tools to engage in conflict transformation.
That is where I want to contribute to – to experience that connection is possible across differences.
Dr. Mary Lilian Akhere Ehidiamhen
Trainer
Dr. Mary Lilian Akhere Ehidiamhen is a Nigerian-born theological ethicist, educator, peacebuilding practitioner and Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) with the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC), USA. She is a member of the Sisters For Christian Community (SFCC) and holds a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from KU Leuven, Belgium, where her research explored the relevance of Nonviolent Communication for peacebuilding, particularly within the context of Nigeria.
Deeply concerned about the impact of violent conflict on individuals, families and communities in Nigeria, Dr. Lilian is passionate about making Nonviolent Communication accessible to people across Nigeria and Africa. She believes that sustainable peace begins when people learn to listen beyond differences, recognise one another's humanity, understand the needs beneath conflict and engage in dialogue that fosters mutual understanding, dignity and respect.
Her work brings together academic research, practical peacebuilding, compassionate communication and a commitment to social transformation. Through NVC workshops, retreats and training programmes, she supports individuals and communities in developing skills for empathy, self-awareness, conflict transformation, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
Dr. Lilian is particularly committed to creating opportunities for people who might otherwise be excluded from peacebuilding education because of financial and social barriers. Her vision is to nurture communities where differences do not lead to division or violence but become opportunities for dialogue, connection and shared growth.
As one of the trainers for the August 2027 NVC Retreat in Nigeria, themed “Reconciliation, Restoration and Relief,” Dr. Lilian brings both professional expertise and a deeply personal commitment to peacebuilding in her home country. She looks forward to accompanying participants on a journey of reconnecting with themselves and others, transforming painful experiences, rebuilding relationships and discovering practical ways of responding to conflict without violence.
For Dr. Lilian, Nonviolent Communication is more than a communication technique. It is a way of living that invites us to move from judgement to understanding, from hostility to compassion, and from separation to connection.
Her guiding vision: To contribute to a Nigeria and an Africa where every person has the opportunity to be heard, every person's dignity is respected, and conflicts are transformed through empathy, dialogue and nonviolence.
Christiane Welk
Trainer
Growing up in Germany during the post-war period and the Cold War between East and West,I experienced a lot of violence and became very despondent in my childhood. Through this I decided as adult to work as much as I can to work for peace, for peace in myself and others, and to contribute to a world in which all needs matter. Through Gestalt-pedagogy, Nonviolent Communication , Restaurative Circles and similar approaches, I got the means and the strength to do this work: To approach others with a genuine attitude of love and empathy, mindful that everyone’s actions fulfil a need that I, too, share, and to see how we can fulfil our needs together and find strategies that are enriching for us all. In my profession as a teacher in primary and secondary schools , where I worked for 42 years, I lived NVC with all it’s facet’s and in trainings I love to contribute to more awareness for everyone, to reconciliation, mediation, peace building and social change. I’m curious and looking forward to meet you in our upcoming training and I look forward to welcoming you to our training sessions, getting to know you better and working with you on your questions.
Karen Starz
Trainer
Karen Starz, MA, MAEC, is a CNVC Certified Trainer, coach, mediator and facilitator. Since 2014 she has worked with more than 160 organizations, congregations and communities in the United States, India, Canada, Kenya and Nigeria. She led Houston Nonviolent Communication for six years and now leads the Network for NVC in New Mexico. She co-hosts the Courageous Conversations podcast and leads mentoring groups for certification. She is an Assessor in Training.
CALLISTA AHACHI
Organising Team
Callista Ahachi, a Nigerian, is a CNVC Certification Candidate, teacher, administrator, and spiritual director. She is a member of a Catholic Religious Congregation.
She is actively involved in the NVC Nigerian Network, the NVC Africa Network and the Center For Nonviolent Communication (CNVC).
She participated in the International Intensive Training (IIT) held in Abuja, Nigeria in 2024. She was part of the organizing team for the inaugural NVC Retreat held in Enugu, Nigeria in 2026.
She encountered Nonviolence Communication in 2017 and has since been committed to enhancing her NVC consciousness. Her passion lies in living, sharing and integrating NVC consciousness and empathy into her surroundings.
She facilitates Compassionate Communication based on Nonviolent Communication workshops and seminars-both online and in-person-creating safe spaces for authenticity, healing, and personal growth and accompanying more individuals to embody NVC, acquire practical skills and foster welcoming environments in schools, families, and workplaces-environment where relationships can truly flourish
Wazieh Offuh Anthony
Organising Team
I am a peaceleader, faith changemaker, and advocate for well-being.
My name is Wazieh Offuh Anthony, and I am the founder and executive director of programs for the Wazieh Women and Children Safety Advocacy Foundation in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. My journey is multifaceted—I serve as a trauma healing group facilitator, social entrepreneur, real estate surveyor, and mental well-being leader.
My passion for building a compassionate community stems from my personal experience with violence, from my childhood into adulthood and a deep commitment to protecting women and children experiencing violence or have survived violence. Today, as violence continues to rise and disconnect us from our shared humanity, I turn to Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to transform these traditional structures of violence. NVC allows me to shift focus away from systemic harm and towards our shared, universal human needs, restoring hope and connection in our local communities.
Through my work with the foundation, I am dedicated to creating access to peacebuilding, trauma recovery, and empowerment resources for women and children across Plateau State, ensuring every action creates vast ripples of change.
Ngozi Monye
Organising Team
Ngozi Monye is an educator, community organizer, compassionate communication practitioner, and skills-development advocate with a deep passion for empowering people and creating life-enriching opportunities.
Ngozi began her journey with Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in 2020. Since then, NVC has become an important part of her personal growth, relationships, educational work, and community service.
She is an active member of the NVC Nigeria Network and the NVC African Network, and she is currently a CNVC Certification Candidate, continuing to deepen her learning, practice, and integration of NVC.
As an educator, Ngozi is passionate about learning, personal development, mentoring, and helping people discover and develop their abilities.
Her educational interests extend beyond formal education to skills acquisition, community education, youth empowerment, and NVC education. She believes education can create pathways to dignity, confidence, self-reliance, and meaningful participation in society.
With a background in Design Technology, with a focus on fashion, Ngozi combines creativity and practical skills with a strong commitment to serving young people and vulnerable members of her community. She also works as a consultant in establishing skills-acquisition and training centres.
Ngozi has participated in and helped organize numerous NVC trainings, including the 2024 Nigeria International Intensive Training (IIT). Her commitment to NVC also inspired her involvement in organizing the inaugural NVC retreat in Nigeria in 2026, where she served on the organizing committee, planning meetings and coordinating activities.
At the heart of Ngozi's journey is a desire to help people be heard, understood, supported, empowered, educated, and treated with dignity. Through education, NVC, skills development, creativity, faith, and community service, she continues to build a life dedicated to learning, connection, compassion, and positive transformation.
