![\"ToTs](\"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/app\/uploads\/9d580e3a-681b-4308-9782-fcb41a04814a-750x500.jpg\")
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April 17, 2019\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Last month, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) \u2013 in partnership with the Education Above All Foundation \u2013 conducted its fourth seven-day training workshop for our cohort of youth peacemakers in South Sudan\u2019s Central Equatoria state. Colloquially referred to as Trainers of Trainees (ToTs), the 40 youths are close to completing their year-long intensive training regime and will soon join our already-existing peace force of almost 300 youth peacemakers in the Equatoria region of South Sudan under the guise of the Youth Peacemaker Network, our flagship program there.<\/p>\n The workshop was held from March 16-22 in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, and sought to strengthen the ToTs\u2019 knowledge and skills in areas core to their future work. Sessions focused on conflict resolution, information and communications technology (ICT), and business and entrepreneurship. They also prepared the ToTs to train local youths within their respective communities on those same topics as well as to teach conflict resolution education in schools. It also featured inspiring presentations by WPDI\u2019s Founder and CEO, Forest Whitaker, Naguib Sawiris, the Chairman of Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding S.A.E, and special sessions conducted by our new partner \u2013 the United States African Development Foundation \u2013 on the innovative thinking and creativity necessary to become a successful entrepreneur.<\/p>\n Over the seven-day period, the ToTs made remarkable progress in their understanding of the covered topics as well as in their ability to convey that knowledge to various audiences. During the ICT-related sessions, for example, they practiced how to use and teach others to use technological equipment and programs, such as laptops and Word processing. These skills will undeniably prove extremely relevant in a country where less than 20 percent of the population use or have used the Internet. Through so doing, WPDI hopes to increase connectivity, knowledge, and development opportunities across the Equatoria region; the South Sudanese people deserve to be active in the connected world that is the 21st<\/sup>\u00a0century.<\/p>\n Although all sessions were well-received by participants, the special presentations given by Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Sawiris were the highest-regarded aspect of the workshop. Mr. Sawiris, in his presentation, discussed the qualities of a good entrepreneur and how exactly he would be supporting small businesses developed by WPDI\u2019s ToTs. He was asked to discuss some of the challenges he faced in business, what exactly constitutes a \u201csuccessful\u201d business, and about the kinds of enterprises could best benefit the people of South Sudan. Mr. Whitaker talked about the youths and their potential to positively transform their communities, a message that was enthusiastically received by the ToTs. As Marline, from Juba county, noted \u201cbefore joining WPDI, I thought that there are specific people that work for peace. But after joining the Youth Peacemaker Network, I learned that there is work we can all do. I am already proclaiming peace to the people around me!\u201d<\/p>\n![\"4th](\"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/app\/uploads\/431f1d1d-b05a-4846-991e-37dc67304e61-750x563.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"4th](\"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/app\/uploads\/2ea1278c-0ab9-4c38-b8a5-4969a3d4fd45-750x563.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Youth](\"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/app\/uploads\/5534d41b-839e-41ec-ab1b-5bc849f5169f-750x563.jpg\")
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