16 NV Monday December SPECIAL

PROJECT
CECORE TRANSFORMS YOUTH
FROM
By Wangah Wanyama raising and dialogues, communities in Kenya
like community
talent support, members, community and South Sudan. The

C
entre for Conflict mentoring and market leaders, local region has experienced
Resolution linkages, experience government leaders, a vicious cycle of
(CECORE) is sharing CSOs, project alumni, violence with
implementing the meetings, existing community
“Youth Peace infrastructures for
Champions Project – peace, etc – applying
Phase III in selected a “whole of society”
post-conflict approach. He adds that
communities in Uganda. the project places the
The project aims at youth and community
preventing re- leaders
radicalisation at the centre of
-in a bid to prevent the decision making –
targeted youth from identifying the
sliding “what” that needs
backintoactsofviolence. to be done and “how”
The project’s main it should be done.
target is youth who
have previously been CECORE
HOW CECORE
Executive Director IS
involved in (armed) ADDRESSING
(centre) with RE-
violence. It also supports RADICALISATION
youth groups who are some of the peace AND
BUILDING
champions - PEACE IN
engaged in peace- COMMUNITIES
building. The project has Kaabong
This is done in three
two main interventions stages. The first stage
– peace building, and is to build the capacity
“connectors for of the Youth Peace
peace”/income Champions in peace-
generating projects. building and conflict
Funded by the transformation, authorities, community and reaching out to
German Federal traumahealing,managem warriors – as a way of fostering peace. The project
Foreign Office through ent and reconciliation, has played a key role in contributing to voluntary
ifa-zivik, the project in income generation, and disarmament and resultant relative peace in the
2023 is being addressing negative district.
implemented in three effects arising from
selected districts climate change and
– Kasese in south KAABONG
conflict nexus. The “We have focused on ‘mental disarmament’ to
western Uganda, peace champions
Kaabong in Karamoja enable the warriors first appreciate the dangers
become the change of illicit guns and the good that comes along when
region - north eastern agents in their
Uganda, and Amuru in we say no to gun violence,” Bwire says.
communities by Simon Katol was one of the known criminals/armed
northern Uganda. transforming the lives
These youth who cattle raiders in Kaabong. He joined the vice at 14
of fellow former years after being convinced by his peers to engage
become change agents warriors/
in their communities, in road ambushes and stealing of cows from
combatants/child neighbouring communities.Hestayedinthe bush
lead in transforming soldiers.
the attitudes of their engaging in cattle raids within Karamoja and across
Secondly, the project the border in Turkana-Kenya.
peers in the community supports the Youth
and are referred to as In 2022, he came in contact with a buffalo in
Peace Champions to
“Peace Champions”. engage in peace-
building sensitisation
KEY ACTIVITIES and awareness.
Some of the key Thirdly, the project
activities under the equips the youth with
2023 project include: practical skills
Baseline study, training andequipmentforenhanci
in peace-building and ng “connectors for
conflict transformation, peace” initiatives that
skills training in provide key alternatives
“connectors for to gun-violence,
transform mindset,
peace”/income provide employment
generating and keep youth busy,
activities, training in promote unity and
trauma healing and co-existence and
Gender-Based Violence sustains healthy
(GBV), and training in relationships.
climate change and
conflict nexus. Others PEACE IN KARAMOJA
include provision of Karamoja region has
supplementary had a long and
materials for complex history of gun
“connectors for peace” violence – escalated by
initiatives, community cattle theft and raiding
within and with
awareness neighbouring pastoral
 of and regret. When I
attended CECORE’s
trainings in peace-
building and trauma
healing, I started
changing.
I then surrendered the
gun to government,
Johnn Bosco Loiki, a and I have since
former notorious
FUNDED BY THE GERMAN
brought many of my
warrior from Kakamar colleagues from the
sub-county, who is now
FEDERAL FOREIGN OFFICE
bush who also
a champion brought back the guns.
of peace has this to
THROUGH IFA-ZIVIK, THE PROJECT
We are now
say: “I was a very champions of peace
bad boy, so scaring
that when people
would meet me and
FOCUS ON KASESE IN 2023 IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN
my group they would
take off for their
Kasese is one of the
post-conflict and conflict
prone districts in
KASESE, KAABONG AND AMURU
lives. I would rob, kill Uganda. The 2016
and raid in broad incidences when the
day-light. I did a lot of Rwenzururu
bad things which I think
monitoring and presence and the bush that seriously kingdom clashed with
evaluation and closing proliferation of illicit injured him, but could Uganda Peoples’ Many of the youth and Many of his colleagues
events. guns as one of the key not access medical Defense Forces is one the royal guards of the were arrested too. He
Theprojectbuildsonsimil fuellingfactors.Theregion services because of of the incidences. kingdom and the king spent over four years in
During awere
himself tree arrested – prison before being
ar previous projects in has fear of being sighted During that time, planting exercise
2019, 2020, 2021 and forlongbeencharacterise by the army. He is Government security until recently. released on bail. He
in Kasese
2022 in the districts of dby among the former forces accused some While, the former says the incidences of
Kaabong, Kotido and casesofillicitgunpossessi warriors who have of the youth in the royal guards have since
Amudat in Karamoja on, brutal killings, been convinced by the region of being a militia
region (north eastern injuries, and cattle “Peace Champions” – referred to them as
Uganda), Kasese (south raids, theft of livestock, and handed in their Kirumira-mutima
western Uganda), Yumbe revenge attacks, guns and is set to (resemblance of
(West Nile region) and abductions, road receive amnesty suicide bombers), who
Lira (northern Uganda). ambushes, rape, and certificates from the attacked the military
Patrick Bwire, the border disputes, government. installations in Kasese.
project’s coordinator among others. In 2023, ”I feel I am now a free The military forces
notes that the projects the project has focused person and I thank the responded by attacking
are implemented its interventions in hot- Youth Peace Champions the palace of the
in an inclusive and spot areas in Kaabong for saving my life. I am cultural leader
active participatory district. now mobilising my Omusinga Charles
manner with active The project is working fellow colleagues to stop Wesley Mumbere and
participation of youth with the peace gun-violence and over 100 people
and other actors champions and alumni embrace peace,” he allegedly died during
to facilitate joint says. the violent conflict.
community
engagements between
the security actors,

been released, many of the insurgency were so

them are still facing traumatising and some
challenges of settling of his family members
back into livelihoods, were killed.
deal with stigma, “To make matters
trauma and fear – worse, about two
amidst the lack of months after my
rehabilitationprogramm release, my house
esfor such people. and other property
Bwambale - One of the were swept away by
peace champions in the River
Kasese, is one of the Nyamwamba
youth who were floods,” he says. This
arrested following the added to the
2016 insurgency in complexity of
Kasese. trauma.
Bwambale is one of the
SPECIAL Mnday December 11, 2023 NV
PROJECT 17
VIOLENCE TO CHAMPIONS OF
PEACE

The project has played a key role in

contributing to voluntary disarmament
Some of the LRA and resultant relative peace in the district
survivors – now
peace champions Army (LRA) rebel groups They, like others were his partly responds to real
in Amuru and its leader Joseph indoctrinated needs on the ground
Kony caused into violence and cause where youth would
tremendous suffering to and witnessed a lot of remark “peace is good,
the people of especially traumatic experiences. but we can’t eat peace”.
northern Uganda, “Life upon return He adds that these
leading to a was equally are income
displacement of over frustrating with lots of generating
1.5 million people, rejection. But I am activities, but

THE ROLE OF CECORE

abduction of thousands glad that at the end of implemented with a
of the peace-building
lens. In addition to purely
Many Ugandans, like the Youth Peace Champions, have
benefited from the capacity building skills provided by
CECORE, a Non-Governmental Organisation founded in
1995. CECORE’s main purpose is to empower individuals,
women and men, communities, organisations and
institutions to transform conflict effectively by applying
alternative means of resolving conflicts - in order to
promote a culture of peace. Rose Othieno, the Executive
Director of CECORE explained that at the time when they
started running the organisation in 1995, few NGOs were
involved in peace and conflict resolution, if any. “We realised
this was the time to give people skills, so that they were
able to understand conflict and effectively resolve their
Peace champions with conflicts,” she notes.
their organic sunflower oil
processing plant in Kaabong
training, I felt relieved
of the heavy pain and
participants who anger I have been
broke down in tears children and death of carrying in my heart.
while presenting his tens of thousands. There are so many
“River of my life” Many survivors’ formerly abducted girls
story – during a memories are still fresh who are still having the
training in trauma in their minds. But the pain I used to have
healing. “But, I am process of healing is before
grateful for the skills being felt. this training. I will work
and restoration of Jeff Ouma, abducted with my fellow peace
hope the trauma as a child and forced to champion group to
healing training has kill, says, “After coming ensure we reach out to
brought into my life. I back from the bush, I them,” Adoch says.
am engaging many of started experiencing CECORE has also
my colleagues to nightmares and would worked in Yumbe
overcome trauma”. be disturbed byevil district in West Nile –
spirits. After receiving with groups like the
DEALING WITH TRAUMA counselling from the former child soldiers
Uganda continues to peace champions of under the defunct UNRF
face multiple and Light Bridge, I have II rebel group.
violent experienced healing.”
interlinkedconflictsandpo On the other hand, INCOME GENERATING
st- conflict challenges. Jessica Adoch was INITIATIVES
Northern Uganda, the abducted at 10 To sustain the peace
region that for over two together with her building efforts,
decades had one of the brother. She and her CECORE creatively
long-lasting civil wars is colleague aged 12 integrates “connectors
one of the examples. were given as wives to for peace” activities
The Lord’s Resistance one of the top LRA into its
rebel commanders. interventions.Bwiresays,t
 vulnerability to the sensitisation going on
effects of climate by the peace
change – and yet the champions. Town
adaptive/resilience Council says.
capacity is low.
Climate change and TALENT SUPPORT
its related stress on One of the most
community livelihood effective ways of
is one of the key community
drivers of conflict in sensitisation has
the region. There is been talent support.
an increasing This has not only
correlation between empowered and
climate change and lifted the talents of
insecurity and vice the youth, but has
versa - as each also been an
amplifies the other. instrumental
Districts like Kasese, channel of
Amuru and Kaabong communicating
face extreme effects peace messages.
of climate change Talent support has
such as mudslides, included composing
flooding, severe drought, and production of
etc. songs, football for
To ensure sustainable peace, forum
peace,CECOREhasintegrat theatre, among
peace-building ed climate change in its others.
activities, youth groups peace building projects.
are supported with The interventions have MODEL FOR SUCCESS
tailored equipment included trainings, The project has
to enhance youth community realised great
income generating sensitisations, tree success in the lives
initiatives. Some of the planting, etc. of individual youths
initiatives include groups and
carpentry and joinery, GBV, PREVENTION communities. The
tailoring, sunflower oil AND REFERRAL interventions have
processing, piggery PATHWAYS contributed to
goat rearing, grinding GBV remains a key voluntary disarmament
mills, driver of violence at in Kaabong district as
craft work, liquid soap family well as Karamoja
making, among and community region, made girls and
others. The initiatives level. This is worse women who used to
not only bring in post- conflict influence armed raids
incomes in the and conflict prone in Karamoja to
pockets of the youth, environments. It is convince warriors to
but also offer mainly seen abandon the vice,
opportunities for through returned youth from
employment, reducing manifestations like hideouts in Kasese,
idleness, and promoting fights among couples, reduced cases of
co- existence and unity. family breakdown, trauma, GBV
“This has disunity among family and re-radicalisation
motivated me also members and acts of in northern Uganda,
to start my own structural injustices. among others.
business - a retail shop Through its Othieno, says the
that brings me some “Prevention, project is now
income to manage my Response and referred to as a
family needs. This Referral, Pathways” model best practice
creates peace in me approach, the project for transforming the
and my community and has worked with the lives of youth -
people are copying Peace Champions especially in conflict
what I am doing,” and relevant and post-conflict
Beatrice Kelly, from institutions to contexts and that
Elegu says. contribute towards the learnings from
addressing prevalent the project have
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GBV cases. made other actors to
CONFLICT NEXUS “In this area of Elegu, initiate similar
CHALLENGE there was a very high projects in other
The communities remain rate of GBV. We used to countries. “Many of
susceptible and with sleep as early as us who used to be
high 6:00pm because of looked at as
fear. There were perpetrators have
rampant cases of rape, transformed from
theft, killings. But at champions of
least nowadays things violence to
have changed because ‘champions of
of the community peace’ and
we are trusted as
agents of peace in our
communities,” – one
of the peace
champions in Kakamar
sub- county, in
Kaabong says.