Why we are here…

JPIC-FA came to Africa, in Kenya specifically at the start of 2008 just after breakout of violence at the wake of the country’s disputed 2007 general elections and was conceived as Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Franciscan Africa (JPIC-FA). It was established within the Franciscan Family Association (Africa) Centre in Nairobi as its secretariat and its visibility is present all over the Eastern African region.

This (Nairobi) office is a coordination centre for advocacy, communication, cooperation and animation of the whole Franciscan Family in Africa all of whom are major stakeholders and players in the justice, peace and integrity of creation program. It is the administration and operations centre and springboard for establishing other administration and operation centers in the other five countries of Eastern African. The founding vision for JPIC-FA office was identified as “A center for advocacy, lobbying, communication, cooperation and animation for the Franciscan Family in Africa, providing and forming networks within and beyond the Franciscan Family in the Continent”. This was supported with the mission to: promote joint actions on issues that are important to the Franciscans in Africa.

JPIC-FA in defining its strategic directions sought to revisits its vision, mission and core values has a cherished identity that is endowed in the experience of living Franciscan values; to promote actions in favor of justice, peace and human rights that would concretize the contribution of the Order in these areas.

Who we are…

• We are members of the Franciscan family.
• We live the values of St Francis of Assisi.
• We live a life of conscious prayer and action to transform the world in the spirit of the Gospel through lives of justice, peace and care for the integrity of creation.
• We are involved in social concerns. Our experience and advocacy efforts promote justice, peace and the integrity of creation.

Our Vision…

JPIC-FA envisions a society where Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation are lived and
promoted as gospel values and in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.

Our Mission…

JPIC-FA exists to animate Franciscans, people they minister to and in collaboration with
others to work for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in society/Africa.

Our areas of focus…

Since its inception the office of JPIC-FA has been carrying out activities in support of its vision, some of which include:

• The office contacts and cooperates with the local Church, along with involvement with government authorities where appropriate.
• It keeps a list of institutions and programs of JPIC-FA related issues, which can be of help in Africa and establishes database of all Franciscans in Africa working in the field of JPIC-FA highlighting the names of those with special expertise.
• Gathering information/news from all over Africa and transmits them to the Franciscans in Africa and in other parts of the world.
• The office works closely with other bodies especially Franciscans International (FI), Comprehensive Course on Franciscan Missionary Charism (CCFMC) and the “Damietta Initiative”.
• It networks with other similar offices and agencies locally, regionally and internationally.
• Offer training courses in the area of JPIC-FA.
• Advocating for human rights with governments and other agencies.
• JPIC-FA has collaborated with Ministry of Youth and Sports in Kenya and with the participation of DPI, Youth Alive and Youth Leaders of the Archdiocese of Nairobi, held the Youth Peace-Building Forum on July 5, 2008 at the Bomas of Kenya attended by over 2000 youth.

Our core values…

• Prayer: With our lives centered in prayer, we seek to bring the presence of Christ into our world.
• Simplicity: We emulate the Charism of St Francis and live the gospel values of simplicity.
• Respect: We believe in treating all people with fairness, equality and dignity appreciating the difference among us.
• Animation: We energize and rekindle fire of love and ministry to others in order to promote the beneficiaries welfare – Provision for their needs and wants.
• Collaboration: We involve others; (Franciscans, other religious, faith groups, NGOs) in our work.
• Integrity: We believe in our words matching up our works.
• Transparency: We believe in maximizing transparency so we could build and strengthen working relationships with everyone.
• Professionalism: We believe in striving for higher levels of performance standards
  in what we do to and aim for the best in it all.
• Confidentiality: We believe that we are responsible to protect the discretion of professionally obtained information, except to prevent imminent harm to others.
• Responsibility: We believe in dependability and accounting for everything we do.