My name is Amanuel Elias. My journey with SOPHOS AFRICA began in August 2022, although I had already heard about it through different people and platforms. I was officially introduced during the Vision Sharing Program, followed by the Point Man training at the IVY Hotel in Debre Zeit. Soon after, I became part of the Technical Ambassador team and began engaging in various activities and roles. Over the past three years, I’ve had the opportunity to attend different gatherings, training programs, and conversations. What first gripped me was SOPHOS AFRICA audacity: its courage to touch the untouchable. In a nation weighed down by ethnocentrism, political extremism, and the pain of polarizing narratives, Sophos chose to speak. It addressed topics that most people, including myself, were afraid to even talk about, like ethnocentrism and political extremism in Ethiopia. To be honest, my first reaction was fear. I was scared to even sit in the room, let alone speak up. I remember one particular moment during a session when opposing ideas began to emerge from different voices in the hall. It was tense, and I felt genuinely uncomfortable. But what surprised me was how naturally the space allowed those different views to be expressed. There was no pressure to conform, no effort to silence disagreement. That moment left a lasting impression on me. It showed me that difficult conversations can be navigated respectfully, and that spaces like this can exist where honesty is welcomed, fear is disarmed, and healing can begin. Furthermore, what sets SOPHOS apart is its balanced and holistic approach to justice. For SOPHOS, Justice is not merely a “courtroom drama” or a “political slogan”, but is a lifestyle, with a set of virtues embodied in hearts, equipped with skills, and lived out in the community. Through its pillars, SOPHOS invites a comprehensive transformational approach from the inside out: from the moral aspect of individuals to the systems and surroundings we co-create. It shapes hearts through the cultivation of values, equips pockets through capacity-building programs, informs minds through research, and nurtures environments by offering a reconciliatory lens on ethnocentrism and political extremism. In this, SOPHOS expanded my understanding of justice beyond the doors of governmental organizations, inviting me to see it as a personal responsibility and a communal pursuit. The trainings and workshops have also been eye-opening. They helped me see how the concept of justice connects to so many areas of life like leadership, poverty, aid, professionalism, education, religion, and politics. SOPHOS doesn’t give surface answers; it pushes us to think deeply and respond wisely. Moreover, SOPHOS has also provided a space for people with shared passion and commitment to meet and connect. Through my involvement, I have met many individuals who are working for peace and justice in different roles and capacities. These relationships have been meaningful and encouraging as we have had the chance to continue important conversations. Looking back on the journey, I am deeply grateful for the impact SOPHOS AFRICA has had on me. It has stretched my thinking, challenged my assumptions, and equipped me with tools to live more intentionally. Through its programs and community, I found the courage to engage with difficult topics, gained a clearer understanding of justice, and discovered a supportive network of individuals committed to peace and societal transformation. More than anything, SOPHOS AFRICA has inspired me to think critically, act responsibly, and pursue meaningful change which begins with my own personal virtues and grows outward into the community.