Conflict management training underway in Wau

A two-day conflict mitigation training targeting 39 youth from five payams in Jur River County started in Wau town on Friday.

The participants in the training organized by Agricultural Youth Action for Development Agency (AYADA) include members of community and local leaders.

The training, supported by USAID, the Youth Empowerment Agency and the Search for Common Ground International Organization for Peacebuilding, aims at providing the participants with conflict resolution skills to handle common problems in the community.

Western Bahr el-Ghazal AYADA Executive Director James Okello told Radio Tamazuj that the training hoped to equip the participants with the skills to respond to the local conflicts.

“The purpose of this training is to make sure that the participants understand how to respond to the local conflicts and are able to identify their causes,” said Okello.

Anet Kiden from the Search for Common Ground International Organization for Peacebuilding said the participants are the main mentors selected to oversee the youth activities in Jur River County.

“These committees are the youth corps members who are enrolled in the empowerment learning centers in Jur River County, specifically Marial-Bai, Roc-Roc -Dong and Wau-bai,” said Kinet.

“We have been working with AYADA since the beginning of this project and they have been supporting us to implement the Objective Four, which is to promote peaceful coexistence among the youth,” she added.

USAid Education Development Zone Supervisor Frank Lomoro said he was excited at seeing the participants coming together to lead peacebuilding in the community.

“Am happy for the workshop today that has brought in our youth corps, members of the community and some local authorities, who will be our eyes in ensuring that peace prevails in the communities,” said Lomoro.

He emphasized that the absence of peace compromised the learning space in the community.

“Where there is conflict, there will be no learning, there will be no developments, people will not be able to go to hospitals. Where there is peace, we will see developments, we will see children and the youth attend schools and live in harmony,” he said.