Peace Camp 2014

Be the change you wish to see in the world

What Career path should I take? How can I make my future better? Is this the right relationship for me? What is my role as a citizen?  Am I doing the right things to contribute to my family and nation? Why can I or can’t I do such and such….?

Young people are faced with a multitude of questions and fearful thoughts every day, they range from seemingly simple to complex issues with potential to build or ruin their lives. The nature of the current trends of family life and structure does not make it any easier with ever increasing family breakdown, thanks to the divorces and single parenting on the rise and conflicts’ claim on Parents’ lives.

In populations and regions that have been devastated with war and conflicts, this gets worse.  There is hardly any one they will turn to for all these answers. If it is true, as is popularly said, “The youth are the leaders of tomorrow”, what kind of communities can we hope for?

AYINET as an Organization committed to promote responsible and effective youth leadership to build cultures of peace, tolerance and human rights, with support and funding by Peace Corps Uganda, organized a week long Peace Camp from December 6 – 13, 2014 at Comboni College Lira with the aim to impart life skills to these young people.

 

 

The life skills sought to impart were; Positive Identity and Self Esteem, Positive Communication, Decision making and critical thinking, Leadership, Emotional health, HIV Transmission, Prevention, Condom Use and Pregnancy prevention that were delivered in different sessions. It was exciting to see that all sessions were ranked as a favorite session at least once out of the 70 campers. The sessions with the highest rankings were the sessions on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDs and stigma, inter-religious conflict, and positive communication. With sessions on meditation, peaceful leadership, conflict resolution and human rights also remarkably engaging.

By the end of the camp, the participants were left wanting more; more days or weeks to camp, with some requests for more sessions and guidance/support for more Income Generating Activities for better livelihoods and sustenance.