{"id":3658,"date":"2021-08-19T22:36:45","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T20:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/?p=3658"},"modified":"2022-04-05T14:52:34","modified_gmt":"2022-04-05T12:52:34","slug":"why-education-and-peace-are-critical-to-transform-and-develop-vulnerable-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/fr\/news\/why-education-and-peace-are-critical-to-transform-and-develop-vulnerable-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Education and Peace are Critical to Transform and Develop Vulnerable Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0A Blog Post by WPDI Youth Peacemaker Mary Valentino<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Ajwok<\/p>\n

My name is Ajwok Mary Valentino.\u00a0I am South Sudanese and currently living in Uganda. I am a Youth Peacemaker at the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, Uganda, and I’ve been selected to represent youths as a Global Youth Ambassador at Theirworld.<\/p>\n

I am passionate about peace and education. As a young person who was displaced from my country over a decade ago, I want to make a difference through peace work in my community. Without peace, there cannot be sustainable development as it is made possible only by availing the right opportunities and investing in the education of the young people.<\/p>\n

Education is very critical for transformative peace and development of a vulnerable community like at the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. Education helps young people discover their talents and develop their skills for the greater benefit of their communities. Young people in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, through the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative, train their fellows in ICT, Business & Entrepreneurship and Peacebuilding. I believe that when the right time comes, South Sudanese refugees will go back home as transformed citizens and contribute to building a more peaceful environment in South Sudan.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Personally, I have never been the same ever since I was able to get an education. Today, I am able to have an impact in my community with the knowledge and skills I acquired in school and on learning platforms. So far, as a trainer in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, I have trained over 800 cluster youths in two secondary schools in Conflict Resolution Education and have conducted peace dialogues and mediation meetings in my community. I believe that at this critical time in the world, promoting young people as the force for change is vital for transforming vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, education is underfunded, especially in the refugee context. The pandemic has made this evident. Indeed, for the past year now, children haven\u2019t been in school. This is even worse in the refugee context. If world leaders want to make a lasting change, then the right skills and knowledge should be made available to young people.<\/p>\n

On World Humanitarian Day, I call upon humanitarian organizations and individuals to invest in education for young people, to help them unleash their potential, transform their communities, and minimize conflicts in communities.<\/p>\n

I believe that sustainable Peace and Development cannot prevail without provision of the right knowledge and skills to the communities that need it the most.<\/p>\n

Watch Mary’s interview on World Humanitarian Day below<\/h4>\n