August 11, 2023 – WPDI has been running targeted peacebuilding initiatives in the Cape Flats area of South Africa since 2019. The communities that inhabit these suburban areas can often feel marginalized, threatened by constant instability, anti-social behavior, delinquency, drug-related crimes and gang violence. Local youths often get dragged into a vicious cycle, losing sight of the importance of education, social cohesion and the power of positive activities. They can often end up roaming the streets unsupervised, prey to nefarious actors.
Engagement, communication and proactivity are key if these young people are to reduce their risk of exposure to substance abuse, violent behaviors and gangsterism. Teaching them about the dangers of violence and showing them another way is at the heart of WPDI’s approach.
In this context, WPDI regularly organizes peace activities for local youths in the area, developed and organized by our network of Youth Peacemakers that we have spent years training. These individuals have a deep understanding of local contexts and local idiosyncrasies meaning they are best equipped to respond to local needs in the right manner, maximizing potential for success in changing attitudes and behaviors.
For example, at the beginning of July, WPDI Youth Peacemaker, Joseph, organized a “Peace Through Art” activity for children in the Cape Flats. He started by talking to the children about the importance of peace and sharing personal stories and examples to help them understand the dangers of violence at a young age. He concluded by encouraging them to incorporate the peaceful practices into their daily lives and to avoid imitating violent behavior. The children engaged in various activities such as face painting, drawing, coloring and playing football. At the end of the activity, community members committed themselves to supporting our Peacemakers during school holidays and to continue empowering their children on prioritizing peace.
“Being involved in my community has opened my eyes to so many things that the young kids get associated with, and I would love to say I am very grateful to the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative for keeping the youths busy while they are on school holidays. This program is not just changing the lives of young kids, but also changing the mindset of the parents too. That is why I would love for this program to expand to other communities out there so that more youth can be engaged in peaceful activities,” said one member of the local community.
These peace activities also place real focus on female empowerment, and the encouragement of young women and girls to get involved in the development of their local communities. Many young women in the local area are themselves victims of violence and abuse, most of them come from very poor socio-economic backgrounds and fragmented family structures in a context of neighborhood gang violence. In the Lavender Hill community, WPDI therefore founded a special football club for local girls in order to give them an outlet to channel their personal trauma into something positive. They share a common love for football, and have found somewhere where they feel able to express themselves freely.
WPDI regularly organizes football matches and peace activities which give the girls a platform to discuss peaceful attitudes, what taking part in sport has taught them and how to transfer this knowledge into their daily lives. The club has played a significant role in bridging the differences and bringing peace in the community which has been badly affected by local gangs. The participation of women and girls in sport challenges gender stereotypes and discrimination and has been a vehicle to promote peace, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Lavender Hill. “This is the first time I’ve worn a new sports kit in my life, I have no words to describe how it feels. I am so grateful and thankful wholeheartedly. Thank you WPDI,” said one participant.
Another WPDI Youth Peacemaker, Alita, was deeply moved by the number of children he witnessed begging for money or food in the streets of Khayelitsha, Cape Flats, so he launched a Netball Peace Club. The club provides an opportunity for young people, especially young girls, to make friends, play, learn about respect and dignity, and become real change makers in their community.
WPDI firmly believes in the power of sports to be an agent of change in underprivileged communities and a platform for fostering peace and positive transformation. “I have been working with the youth for a while and they were struggling to get resources to continue playing netball as a team, so I would like to thank WPDI for supporting my activity and for bringing hope to these youths. I will continue to work with the coaches and community members so that we can ensure the young people in my community are constantly engaged in peaceful activities. Thank you WPDI team for all your hard work and supporting us as youth peacemakers as we give back to our communities,” Alita exclaimed.
Building peace also means providing basic services in underdeveloped communities. That is why one WPDI Youth Peacemakers decided to organize a “Peace Through Feeding the Needy” activity. The purpose of the activity was to contribute and assist with essential necessities to one of the Gugulethu feeding scheme programs in his community. The event was very positively received in the community, as many local homes are living below the breadline. The feeding program helped a number of children that are left unsupervised during school holidays, without food for days while their parents are trying to make ends meet.
Another of our Youth Peacemakers, Yaseen, started a music program in the Lavender Hill community in order to provide a healthy alternative activity for youths to help them stay occupied in a positive way after school. Yaseen was able to acquire some musical instruments for a group of youths, with whom he has been conducting music lessons. It has proved a powerful way to keep them occupied and has the potential to help develop local role models who can showcase their talents and inspire others to choose a positive path. 42 youths are currently participating in the weekly sessions. “I am grateful that I joined the music program. I have always wanted to learn to play an instrument, especially the guitar, but the opportunity was never possible in my community. So, I would like to thank WPDI and Yaseen for starting this program for the youth. I am excited to continue this program and I hope we will be able to learn other instruments as well,” exclaimed one participant, who prefers to remain anonymous.
We are proud that our Youth Peacemakers act as such inspiring role models in communities that have lost hope. They will continue to bring people together and organize activities focused on peace throughout the year.
In partnership with
