Youth Conflict Resolution Initiative

Refugees, host communities & diaspora

Youth Conflict Resolution Initiative

The project in brief

Implemented by

Refugees & Host Resilience and Gender Based Violence Initiative (REHORI/GBVI)

Country

Kakuma - Kenya

Duration

December, 2019. It was affected by COVID-19 pandemic, but it the services were resumed in 2021

Description

Kakuma has seen communal violence in the past especially among Congolese and Nuer, Dinka and Nuer, Murle and Nuer, that erupted sometimes in the football field and innocent people lost their lives. This project if successful will be implemented by REHORI-GBVI, our center offers adult education to refugees and hosts, teaching them English, French, basic computer and Permaculture courses. All services offered are free of charge. Young leaders and international non-governmental organizations representatives took part in the project. The youth leaders ere trained to develop competencies in conflict resolution. 

Project aims 

  • To increase awareness among youth about conflict management and resolution through intercultural dialogue
  • To bring youths from different ethnic communities together in Kakuma refugee camp by creating center for indoor games e.g. Chess, playing card during weekend.
  • To prevent intercultural conflicts which are created by ethnocentrism among the refugee communities in the camp.
  • Empowering youth and women in their daily lives through adult education and basic computer training
  • Promote cultural diversity and cooperation among the youth
  • Sponsoring some youths during interschool music festivals
  • Discouraging all forms of racism and discrimination in Kakuma Refugee camp

Resources used 

The project was registered by the Refugee Affairs Secretariat  (RAS) , a government agency that deals with refugees issues.

Main activities of the Good Practice

Creating youth Bench Court [YBC] for arbitration: REHORI-GBVI center will create youth court to mediate and solve minor or major problems that start during game times. The judges will be impartial when they preside cases, with no conflict of interest. The court is comprised of youth members and representatives from REHORI-GBVEI.

Offering short courses on conflict resolution: Some courses on conflict resolution and skills will be offered to some participants. They should be awarded certificate of completion.

Indicators or positive results from youth conflict resolution project:

 

  • High number of participants
  • Relative calm in the field during game times
  • Peaceful co-existence among many different community members
  • Increased urge for learning
  • Promotes friendships among the participants
  • Highly skilled youth e.g. chess game for scholarship
  • Reduction in the number of youth taking illegals drugs

 

Daytime screening : Videos depicting violence in all aspects of life are shown to beneficiaries twice a week. Some videos include stories from their countries of origin. Through these, the hope is that they will not repeat the same behavior and cause conflict in Kakuma Refugee Camp. REHORI-GBVI initiative purchased a big screen to show such videos to the youths.

Partners

  • DanChurchAid (DCA)
  • Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
  • Turkana County government

Challenges and how they were overcome

Challenges

There are many challenges that were encountered when we rendered these services. These include lack of financial support, lack of skilled personnel who can deliver the services and lack of information technology facilities.

How they were overcome

Some of the challenges were solved but others were not. We managed to recruit the skilled personnel who voluntarily decided to work with no pay. The partners worked hard to overcome some of the challenges, but not all of them.

Results of the Good Practice 

Many beneficiaries from refugees and some from the host community got employed as the result of the skills imparted to them.

How the project meets the GCR Objectives

Objective 2: Enhance refugee self-reliance

Through the free courses, refugee youth and women were trained to be more self-reliance.

Objective 4: Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity

Beneficiaries were trained with the skills that may be useful to them in their countries of origin. For example refugees from great Lakes learn French which be important to them when they returned in their countries.

Next steps

The project will be extended because it is doing great things to the refugees community.

Further support required for the project to continue or scale up

We really need to be supported with many things such as information technology facilities, power system, furniture, capacity building and financial support as the incentives for the workforce.

 

 

Submitted by: 

Alexandre Fahizi Mtahelwa, CEO and Founder - Refugees & Hosts Resilience and Gender Based Violence Initiative / Kenya 

[email protected]