We lost our friend and colleague Sheku unexpectedly before Christmas 2023. JLI had been working with Sheku since September 2022 when she joined the PVE, Youth and Interfaith project. When the project was completed, Sheku became an active member of the JLI Conflict Transformation and Faith hub. We have lost a colleague and a friend. May her memory be a blessing.
(If you have worked with Sheku at JLI and would like to add a tribute to her to this page, please email Jennifer at [email protected].)
Tributes
A servant of humanity is who you were, dear Sheku. You served compassionately until your last day. I remember the many times you volunteered to take the lead in our hub initiatives, I remember you and me volunteering to lead some conversations with iDovers, I remember you in service, dear Sheku. May you rest in eternal peace. — Regina
Sheku, you always brought butterflies to my mind—your gentle presence creating a butterfly effect spreading beauty and warmth. We lost an exceptional researcher and humanitarian. Your smile and compassion will forever be cherished. Even at the peak of illness, you showed up for meetings and pep talks. Though you are no longer with us, your legacy of love and inspiration lives in our hearts. Sheku, you are deeply missed, but your spirit continues to dance in the lives you touched. — Zainab
To our dear Sheku, who left us too early, your time on hub initiatives may have been short, but your spirit was profound. I am happy to have contributed along with Sheku Anna Chundung as peer reviewers on the project focused on PVE, youth, and interfaith with author Dr. Jennifer Philippa Eggert. Your memory will forever be etched in our hearts, a reminder of the preciousness of every moment. — Moti
Dear Sheku – you carried so much pain in you, both in your body and in your heart, from the traumas and conflicts you experienced in life. Yet, without fail, you emanated warmth and love. Your heart and smile told us everything about your soul – your kindness, your gentleness, your desire to tell stories that could heal wounds and bring people closer together. I pray you find everlasting peace and comfort now, dear Sheku. You will be missed, but your legacy will live on. — Sadia
Sheku stood out with her warmth and high spirit. This persona always filtered into those whom you came into contact with including myself. I was always delighted to hear from you and filled with hope. The PVE, Youth and Faith Project was a good place to meet yet your friendship and commitment to humanity transcended beyond the project leading to the ideation of our Conflict Transformation and Faith Hub – a process you greatly contributed to shaping. Fare thy well, the beautiful memories shared live on and you continue to inspire us to serve. — Patrick
Dear Sheku, I still struggle to comprehend that you are not with us anymore and that we will not see you again in any of our future meetings. It was such a pleasure to get to know you, to work with and learn from you. You may have only spent a few years on this earth, but you have touched so many lives. I think of and pray for your family, friends, and colleagues who now have to live their lives without you. May God the Most Merciful have mercy on your soul. — Jennifer