A non governmental organisation in Sokoto State, Save the Child Initiative, has conducted community youth stakeholders engagement across 10 local government areas in the state with 20 participating political wards under the RECAP project.
During the engagement, Youth Peace Clubs were established with aims to equip youth and young people with techniques to become agents of peace, tolerance and positive social change within their various communities.
Membership of the clubs were drawn from Youth associations and Women groups from their respective communities
The project, which is funded by the European Union, is being implemented by consortium partners that include Action Against Hunger, International Alert and Save the Child Initiative.
The program was held in Sokoto North and Sokoto South LGAs, where youths from Magajin Gari Ward B, Sarkin Adar Gandu Ward and Gagi A, Tudun Wada A, respectively, converged to discuss issues affecting their communities, participants identified and extensively discussed conflict driver’s in their respective communities and proffered solutions
According to the official of Save The Child Initiative, similar meetings were held in Kware, Wamakko, Dange Shuni, Bodinga, Yabo, Shagari and Tambuwal local government areas.
Speaking with newsmen on the objectives of the program, the Project Officer, Mrs Esther Oluwafemi, said the main objective of establishing the Youth Peace Club is to equip young people with negotiation, mediation, dialogue and problem-solving skills to address conflicts peacefully.
Speaking with newsmen a male participant at Madawaki Model Primary School Gandu, Abdulmalik Ahmad, commended Save the Child Initiative and European Union for organising the meeting which, according to him, has awakened them on what they should do to tackle social vises in their respective areas.
He said they are now better informed and enlightened “Because the gathering afforded them the opportunity to come together identified problems and how to solve it.
Also a female participant, Nafisa Aliyu, commended Save the Child Initiative and their funders for bringing so many interventions and assist in creating awareness and tackling conflicts.