As part of peace dialogue and reintegration, African Youth for Peace Development and Empowerment Foundation (AFRYDEV) with support from International Alert under European Union (EU) has supported early recovery from conflict and resilience building project in Yobe state to forestall further conflicts in the state.
AFRYDEV Senior Programme Officer, Abdullahi Edoka, explained this during a capacity building for youths to demonstrate the traumatic experience of gender-based ciolence survivors in the hands of insurgents and experience of stigmatisation faced as they return to their community, and how community can participate in peace building process through forgiveness and reconciliation efforts to reintegrate survivors back in a dignified manner.
“This project will mainstream conflict sensitivity activities in addressing challenges of reintegration posed by fear and mistrust that antagonized and stained family and community relationships.
“The choice of Drama was to attract community youths as social activities have proved to be a global instrument of reaching youth.
“Furthermore, it will provide a platform to sensitize community members on peace, conflict, forgiveness and reminder the youth of their critical role as backbone of society in promoting peaceful reintegration of women and girls returnees affected by Boko Haram in a bid to increase social cohesion,” he said.
Edoka, further revealed that AFRYDEV Team had facilitated 29 sessions of youth dialogue and engaged 10 youth per three communities (15 male and 15 female) across Damaturu, Gujba and Potiskum LGAs making a total of 30 youths from each LGA.
According to him, selected youth participated in series of initiative aimed at strengthening social fabric and build resilience of insurgency affected communities.
Mohammed Musa and Umar Abdullahi from Potiskum and Fika respectively applauded AFRYDEV for initiating the programme.
“We really want to thank International Alert and AFYDEV for initiating such an activity where youth can demonstrate their hiding talent to promote peace building, this is more than giving food items, I pray that all of us here will be an advocate of peace,” they said.
Two clerics from Muslim and Christian faiths served as some of the resource persons at the capacity building.
