Women play a unique role in Somalia.
Many marriages are arranged across clan lines. When clan warfare erupts, a woman's brothers and fathers may end up fighting against her husband and sons. By the end of the workshop, the women agreed they would take advantage of their positions as wives, mothers and daughters to be leaders in promoting peace and encouraging reconciliation in their society. Beachy directs Somalia programs for MCC and Eastern Mennonite Missions. She is from Goshen, Ind., and is a member of Assembly Mennonite Church in Goshen.