GSN is a healing-centered organization seeking conflict transformation grounded in radical feminist principles and collective care. We support marginalized communities impacted by conflict, prioritizing local solutions and community-led healing initiatives to address intersectional trauma and oppression. Our goal is empowering such communities to thrive through nurturing social healing.

GSN was officially founded in 2016, but our roots trace back to a network of local partners across East Africa who had been collaborating on social healing programming in the region for 8 years prior.

The inspiration behind GSN arose from recognizing that many communities and organizations in East Africa exist within trauma-organized societies and are seeking social healing support, yet often lack the technical capacity to design and implement culturally and contextually relevant programs.

GSN was formed to partner with these groups as a technical expert, offering to co-create social healing programs grounded in local knowledge, feminist principles, and a deep understanding of how to nurture transformative healing in the face of intersectional trauma and oppression.

GSN's main office is located in Nairobi, Kenya at the Loresho Shopping Center. You can find us on the ground floor of the shopping center.

From this central headquarters, we coordinate and support local partners and community organizations throughout East Africa in designing and implementing their social healing programs and initiatives.

GSN has an extensive network of community and institutional partners throughout East Africa, including Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Sudan. We have also collaborated with organizations across the African continent in countries like Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.

As our new virtual social healing platform "Ustawi" launches and scales up, we anticipate being able to expand our social healing circles globally to African diaspora communities in North America, Europe, and Australia.

Our approach prioritizes working closely with local partners deeply rooted in their communities. This allows us to design culturally grounded and contextually relevant social healing initiatives that resonate with the specific needs and experiences of the populations we serve across the African region and beyond. If your local organization would like to explore partnering with us, please get in touch.

GSN offers a range of programs and initiatives focused on nurturing social healing and conflict transformation, particularly in marginalized communities impacted by trauma and injustice. Some of our key offerings include:

Community Healing Circles: Our flagship program brings together small groups for culturally-grounded, facilitated dialogues that create safe spaces for sharing experiences, building mutual understanding, and catalyzing personal and collective healing.

Well-being & Resilience (WebR) Encounters: We design and facilitate these encounters to build local capacities for healing-centered leadership and organizations, as well as violence prevention through non-violent communication and inclusive peace processes.

Digital Healing Support with Ustawi App: Through this digital safe space, we offer virtual storytelling and embodiment practices, creating new types of healing spaces centering the lived experiences and narratives of women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ individuals impacted by gender-based violence and oppression.

Research & Advocacy: Our research examines the intersections of social healing, trauma, conflict, and social injustices, informing evidence-based programs and policy advocacy to address root causes and systemic barriers to healing.

There are several ways to get involved and support our mission:

Volunteering as a Virtual Circle Keeper with Ustawi: Our Ustawi app allows you to volunteer remotely as a trained facilitator for our digital healing circles. This is a great way to provide support from anywhere in the world.

Becoming a Local Network Partner: Organizations rooted in communities across Africa can join our network to collaborate on contextualizing and implementing GSN's social healing initiatives locally.

Fundraising: Financial contributions from individuals and institutions are vital for sustaining and expanding our work. You can donate or assist with fundraising campaigns and events.

Advocacy: Raise awareness about our cause by sharing GSN's work through your networks and platforms. You can also get involved in policy advocacy efforts aligned with our mission.

Let us know if you need any other details on the various involvement opportunities! We're grateful for everyone's support.

Yes, GSN welcomes volunteers! Key opportunities include:

1. Virtual Circle Keeper with Ustawi App - Facilitate online healing circles after training.

2. Community Program Support - Assist with local healing initiatives if based in East Africa/regions with GSN partners.

3. Communications/Creative Support - Help with storytelling, design, campaigns, etc.

To express interest, email volunteer@green-string.org with your background, skills, location and availability. We're grateful for volunteers making our work possible!

Yes, GSN does offer a limited number of student internship opportunities each year. If you are interested in interning with us, please send your cover letter articulating your interests along with an updated resume/CV to info@green-string.org.

In your cover letter, we recommend highlighting any relevant experience, skills or passion areas that align with GSN's mission of nurturing social healing and conflict transformation through community-based approaches. Let us know what aspect of our work most resonates with you and how you hope to contribute during the internship.

Our internship positions provide meaningful opportunities to gain hands-on experience across various areas like program implementation, research, communications, and more. We prioritize applications from students deeply committed to GSN's values and approach centered on radical feminist principles, collective care practices, and amplifying local knowledges.

While internship roles are subject to availability each term, we strive to provide enriching experiences that allow interns to directly support our efforts in catalyzing personal and community healing journeys.

We're grateful for donations that allow us to sustain and expand our social healing work. There are a few options for making a contribution:

Online Platforms:

GlobalGiving: Visit our GlobalGiving page to make a secure online donation.

DonorSee: You can also donate through our project page on DonorSee.

Direct Transfer:

M-Pesa: Send funds directly to our M-Pesa till number (provide number).

Bank Transfer: You can wire a donation to our bank account (provide account details).

We deeply appreciate every donation, which directly supports our missions of nurturing healing, fostering conflict transformation, and empowering marginalized communities. Your generosity creates transformative impacts.

Please let us know if you need any assistance or have further questions about donating. We're happy to provide guidance. Thank you for your support!

We aim to keep our community of supporters, partners and allies well-informed through these various channels. There are a few great ways to stay connected and receive the latest updates from GSN: For major announcements and annual reports, you can subscribe to our mailing list from our website. Our newsletter shares news, stories, events and opportunities.

Our social channels are where we post regular updates about our programs, initiatives, campaigns and the communities we serve across East Africa and beyond. Follow us on social media: X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn:

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions!

If you have any concerns or issues related to the safety, wellbeing or proper conduct of GSN's community initiatives, please report them immediately to info@green-string.org. This email is monitored by our safeguarding team.

We take all concerns extremely seriously and have strict protocols to investigate claims thoroughly while maintaining confidentiality. The protection of communities we serve is our highest priority. Do not hesitate to raise awareness of any potential wrongdoings by emailing info@green-string.org. Safeguarding is fundamental to upholding the integrity of our work.