This year we celebrate 50 years of the African Union (AU) and its precursor the Organization for African Unity (OAU). In this booklet we bring the voices of 50 people from five African countries that are at different stages of conflict. All these stories show how conflict has affected people’s lives, but it also shows that people are still hopeful for a better day. If people are safe, they will get on with their lives. It can be done, but this effort will take political will as well as practical steps to address root causes of conflict and find lasting solutions.