The story of alternative justice systems (AJS) is partly the story of going back to our roots and asking ourselves how our forefathers solved their disputes then after picking the best practices, applying them in the modern-day contexts we live in.

The Swahili have a saying; “mwana wa muhunzi asiposana, hufukuta” (Should the child of a smith not learn his father’s craft, they will at least learn how to rekindle the furnace). The saying is about the power of mentorship. It means there is some special skill, however minute, you learn by staying close to an experienced person.