JOINT SUSTAINABLE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The programme is planned and implemented by a partnership of five agencies: Pax Christi Netherlands (lead agency), Seeds of Peace Africa (SOPA) International as the coordinating agency, ICCO/ CADEP (Capacity Assessment and Development Programme), PRDA (Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency), UNPDF (Upper Nile Peace and Development Foundation) in Eastern Upper Nile and GPDC (Gambella Peace and Development Council) in Gambella.

In 2005 the partners launched the initiative for a joint peace and development programme in Gambella and Upper Nile with a number of partner organizations. This followed increasing recognition that

• Peace building in this area is hugely complicated but needs to incorporate an international dimension in order to be truly effective. Issues such as trade (including arms trafficking), seasonal resource based conflict, refugees and returnees, and cultural norms and values transcend the border between Gambella and Upper Nile.

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• Pax Christi as a peace building organisation needs to work hand in hand with partners focused on capacity building and sustainable development to support and strengthen brokered peace agreements. Peace building and appropriate sustainable development efforts need to be integrated to enhance effectiveness and make maximum use of emerging peace dividends. The most effective way to do this is through selective partnership with organizations with complementary skills and experience.

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Approaches used

SOPA believes that aspects of life of a human being occur in a holistic manner. Whereas peace remains the main focus for the organization, it is also appreciated that peace movement alone will not sustain itself unless other supportive components are considered and integrated in the programme establishment.

Considering the history of Gambella sustainability issues then became paramount. Approaches and methodologies were therefore consistent with the need for self-sustainability of the programme. SOPA pursued software approaches, facilitating the youths to realize their own potential and resources to pursue their own aspirations in life.

Activities Carried Out
After a process of community mobilization in which 3 youth groups were founded in Gambella, Itang and Abobo the activities below were selected and carried out by the youths. A planed peace day (rally) was used as a focal point around which all the other activities were planned and executed. The activities were launched in a peace rally held in Gambella and graced by the regional government.

• Sports for peace

A three weeks sports tournament was held from 3rd October to 17th November 2007. There was football competition of boys under-17 years held in Abobo on 3rd November, football competition of boys under-25 years held in Gambella on 4th November, athletes’ competition of both boys and girls and girls volleyball held on 10th November in Itang. The finals of football for boys under-25 years and athletes was held on the 17th November as part of the peace rally. In these games the youth groups from the three woredas competed against each other. Gender parity was ensured.  In short, the tournament comprised of 4 items

• Under 17 years boys football
• Under 25 years boys football
• Girls volleyball
• Athletes for boys and girls

Sports were used to mobilize and bring the community around peaceful coexistence and the planned peace rally. Apart from community mobilization and advocacy for peaceful coexistence, sports was introduced as an activity which could be continuously carried out by the youths as a means of bringing them together, keeping the spirit alive and for continuity of the groups.

• Peace building training

A five day peace building training was held in Gambella town bringing 40 representatives of the youths from the three youth groups in Itang, Gambella and Abobo. This activity was conducted a week towards the peace rally. The trainees were ceremoniously flanked as peace builders by the vice president on the peace day.

• Establishment of an English class

An English class was established to be run by the Gambella Youth for Peace Against Guns under the guidance of GPDC. Students were mobilized through the youth groups. Enrolment was enlisted upon payment of some registration fees and class attendant upon payment of monthly fee. This was to ensure sustainability of the classes. This approach was also to ensure some livelihood income for the youth groups in response to objective 2.1 of the project. By the time it started about 60 youths had registered.

• Peace day

A peace day was held on 17th November 2007. The theme of the day was “Youth for Peace and work in the 3rd Millennium.” This theme was carefully chosen by the youths as a reminder of two major issues of which the youths would wish to promote and advocate for; that is, peace and meaningful work for the youth in the new millennium which had just been ushered in by Ethiopia. Sports and peace building training were build-up activities to the peace rally which brought together over 4,000 young people and full participation of the government.