Tanganyika(present day Tanzania) (1961-1972)

Upon graduation in the United States and return to Switzerland, Peter Meienberg was sent out to Tanganyika to work under the Mission Abbey of Peramiho, an outstation of 3,000 Christians.^[3] Here, Meienberg, as an assistant priest in Songea, performed religious instruction under various capacities, first teaching Catholic education at a nearby government high school as part of the Peramiho mission. Later, Meienberg was invited by the Director of the Adult Education Institute to become a teacher of civic education and political science, to teach teachers about contemporary political issues. In 1968, Meienberg joined the mission's new project to teach religion, African history, and civics at a Girls Secondary school.^[3]

During this time, Meienberg was also the mission's Director of Social Action. His work focused on traveling to various schools to tackle issues relating to social systems, including introducing adapted technology, rationalizing equipment, and introducing credit unions for structural assistance.

Kenya (1972-2019)

In 1971, Meienberg and other members of the Peramiho mission received permission from the Monastery to tour Kenya and develop a new Kenyan mission.^[3] The newly constructed mission firstly focused on pastoral care, introducing chosen locals to the basics of catechetical instruction and imparting religious instruction to local students. Meienberg's work at the mission expanded to social care, as he worked to implement dispensaries with maternity wings (healthcare), feed local children milk and cornmeal (nutrition), and install a new clean water supply (water and sanitation).

In 1977, Meienberg travelled to East Pokot to live among nomadic herdsmen.^[4] There, he personally constructed a chapel, Pokot Lodge. This chapel functioned as a religious space, as well as a nursery and kindergarten. Meienberg instructed women running the kindergarten to explain the basics of healthcare and provided minimal health services for malarial, fever, and antibiotic ailments.

Rwanda (1994)

With the outbreak of civil war in Rwanda, Meienberg writes about hearing a voice telling him to "come to us in Goma."^[6] Arriving in Goma, Meienberg witnessed the scale of massacre, disease, and prosecution in Rwanda, and celebrated a religious service (Eucharist) in the Kibumba camp.^[6] Meienberg shortly flew to Switzerland, and began a public media campaign to raise funds for Goma, collecting 70,000 CHF (Swiss Francs) in 10 days (Approximately US$71,000).^[7] Most of these funds were used to transport medication to refugee camps.

Meienberg sent and welcomed many Rwanda refugees to his monastery in Nairobi, and worked with doctors to establish a medical centre in the monastery. Meienberg partnered with 'Little Sisters of St. Francis' ^[8] to assist in the relocation of refugees, creating initially a 'first contact' for arriving refugees, then expanding to create computer schools, sewing classes, and English language courses.^[8]

Faraja Foundation (née Faraja Trust)

In 1999, Meienberg left the monastery to establish Faraja Trust, a charity initially focused on helping "socially disadvantaged individuals and families ... to rebuild a sustainable livelihood."^[3] Faraja Trust was initially fully financed by Meienberg's networks in Switzerland. Later, Meienberg purchased land to construct luxury apartments to rent to expatriates, creating a source of funding.^[1]

Faraja Trust was renamed Faraja Foundation in 2012. Today, Faraja Foundation is focused on work in several city prisons to educate guards, train prisoners on computer, cooking, and employable skills, and help prisoners repatriate into society. Additionally, Faraja Foundation has done work in agricultural training for young apprentices and launched initiatives to build rainwater tanks for small scale farmers.^[9]

Women's prison reform

Upon visiting refugees thrown into prison, Meienberg noticed the poor treatment of prisoners in Lang'ata Women's Prison in Nairobi. Meienberg applied as a prison chaplain, and began implementing prison reforms.^[3] This included the distribution of cloth for underwear and sanitary towels, the addition of radio and television, the creation of hatches and windows, the establishment of sports grounds, and the installation of sewing machines, counseling chambers and reading rooms.

As Faraja Trust began to concentrate on prison reform and Meienberg's work gained more traction, Meienberg was further ably to find advocates to defend convicts in court, give them credit loans to kickstart their new lives, establish officer training to handle clientele, and construct new computer labs, living spaces, and cooking spaces.^[2] In 2013, Lang'ata Women's prison, in collaboration with Faraja Foundation, established a daycare for children of imprisoned mothers.^[10]

Meienberg's work in Lang'ata Women's prison has served as the blueprint for prison reform in Kenya, and Meienberg has consulted for several other prisons in Kenya.^[1][2] The Vice-President of Kenya declared Lang'ata Women's Prison a "model and centre of excellence to be emulated by the other ninety-two prisons in the country."^[2] In 2009, Meienberg's work in prison reform was made into a documentary, The Prison and the Priest.^[11]