Sylvie Mutwambaka Mirindi is the Founder of Mamans Sensibilisateurs, a committee made up of women who, like her, are married to members of the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC). These women both witness and face violence in their homes and community. Sylvie and the Mamans Sensibilisateurs launched programs that have dramatically reduced violence in their homes and communities, as well as a co-counseling system for married couples to discuss their problems constructively without violence.

At an early age, Mahmoud Rashdan’s family fled from Palestine to Syria, in order to escape the violence surrounding them. When civil war erupted in Syria, Mahmoud again found himself fleeing, this time to Lebanon. There, he faced fear and mistrust from every group: the Lebanese, ethnic Syrian refugees, and long-time Palestinian refugees. In his words, Mahmoud’s life descended into “every man for himself.” It was in Search’s Better Together theater program where Mahmoud finally found a home – and a voice, which he used to challenge stereotypes and bias. When Better Together launched summer camps, Mahmoud volunteered. To get to the camps, each day he passed through six army checkpoints where he was at risk of being stopped, searched, and deported. He navigated each checkpoint safely, and months later his family finally found refuge in Germany. Mahmoud is now making a home for others, replicating what he learned from Search. Through theater and training sessions on nonviolent communication and conflict resolution, he is reducing tensions and empowering the refugees around him. He is a survivor who continues to inspire, promote tolerance, and open hearts.

At only 28, Michael Sambola is Sierra Leone’s most prominent investigative journalist. As a child, he joined Search for Common Ground’s radio show Golden Kids and became one of the program’s teenage reporters, shedding light on the issues faced by Sierra Leonean children in the aftermath of the country’s decade-long Civil War. That experience instilled in him the values of integrity, justice, and truth he holds dear today. Currently, Michael is the leading producer at Radio Democracy 98.1, one of Sierra Leone’s most prestigious radio stations. His show, Good Morning Sierra Leone, has unearthed corruption scandals, surfaced human rights abuses against child brides, unveiled systems of bribery behind access to government services, and more. Since 2012, Michael has received national awards recognizing the impact of his fearless reporting every year. The Common Ground Award is his first international recognition.