The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative or WPDI, a non-governmental organization working mostly with youth last Friday awarded certificates of excellence to about 186 young men and women in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.
The youth completed three-month courses in ICT, peacebuilding, and entrepreneurship at WPDI in Torit.
A peacebuilding graduate Joseph Ibou Charles said, “Before we did not know what conflict is, and they have taught us much about conflict for example power greed, how to manage conflict, we learn more about it and how we can manage in our villages even at home.”
Susan Natra Leon, another peacebuilding graduate said, “Today is a very nice day and I would like to welcome my sisters outside to join the profession because I am very happy I got a certificate. I can easily bring two conflicting groups to the table and resolve their issue. I am even able to train my colleagues in the area even though they don’t have access to reach out the center.”
James Richard, an elderly graduate of ICT encouraged everyone with the passion to take the opportunity and enroll at the WPDI to gain skills, saying education has no limits.
For his part, Paul Jalingo the acting chairperson for peacebuilding in Eastern Equatoria State calls on the youth to be peace ambassadors in their communities.
“You are now ambassadors of peace, you people should know that the task which you are going to face is a challenge that is why it is called peacebuilding. It is a process and it is not easy, it is full of steps,” he advised.
Lopeyok Summy Aperangole, Eastern Equatoria education minister who attended the graduation, called on the youth to mobilize more for such pieces of training.
He urged all education partners and headteachers to include peace education in the curriculum to build a peace culture amongst the youth.
Eastern Equatoria state minister of culture youth and sport Stella Iromo Vitale said: “Youth is the powerhouse of our country because they have the capability of changing the country by bringing peace. We, the ministry of culture youth and sports appreciate you our partners for doing such work to help our youth in various counties Budi, Lafon, Torit, Magwi, Ikotos, and Kapoeta.”
Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative has built a community learning center that empowers youths in different skills.