WAR AFFECTED YOUTH ASSOCAITION (WAYA)

WAYA ANNUAL REPORT 2015

Submitted to Peace Direct UK. 18th/12/2015

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1: Introduction

War Affected Youth Association (WAYA) is a registered community based, non-profit making organization working to build a peaceful and an inclusive society with the aim of improving the living condition of the most vulnerable individuals through gender and empowerment, Education, income generating, entrepreneurship development, cultural promotion, psychosocial support, lobby and advocacy, Peace building ,child protection ,Adult literacy and Early childhood development programmes for the war affected persons in Northern Uganda to become self-reliant.

WAYA continued to engage children, youth and adult women into creative activities that brought them together for experience sharing. During this time children were trained on life skills to empower them for their own survival. The report covers the period from January 2015. During this reporting period, WAYA under different projects like Tomorrow peace builder project with funding from peace direct –UK, Sustainable Micro Loan for Economic Empowerment (SMILE) project and cultural revival and participation on national and international days and received international students conducting research .During this reporting period, WAYA had planned and accomplished the following activities. Dissemination of information about the project to inform the different stakeholders (Community leaders, district leaders, school administrators and community at large), Identification of the peace clubs both in and out of schools and 10 Peace Clubs selected, Organise football tournarnment because of the demand for WAYA service delivery, 18 groups were reached , registered and sensitized by WAYA however 10 vulnerable peace clubs selected for support due to limited resources and the selection was based on the set criteria. Some of the criteria included; vulnerability level of the group members, the level of support the club received and their legal status/registration

WAYA projects activities:1. Tomorrow peace builder’s project

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Activity 1: Community sensitization on Tomorrow peace building activities

The main Objectives of the activity were to: To create awareness on how we can peacefully resolve conflict in our

community To solicit how both the community and schools can support the project

after end of the grant. Come up with Community sustainable non violent ways of resolving

conflict .The community sensitisation was carried out in both schools and at community. The overall total was 535 people attended the sensitization. The number of members sensitized in the community was 346 (251f & 284m) and in school was 189 (80m & 109f). The purpose for the mass sensitization was to create awareness about tomorrows’ peace builders’ project in both at schools and in the community specifically identification of actual and potentialConflicts both in community and schools by seeking way forward to collectively prevent conflicts from occurring or recurring in the community and schools. The theme for the sensitization was “Peace is a right and responsibility for all”. These sensitizations were done at groups’ levels in 7 Schools and 5 Communities. Achievements 18 Community sensitisations were conducted in 6 schools and 12

communities about tomorrow peace builder’s project activities and the response to emerging conflicts in the communities and schools. The total number of members sensitized was 535 (284males, 251 females) on peace building ,organized football tournament among 6 peace clubs in and out of school youths including street kids within Gulu municipality ,initiated the formation of peace clubs and training ,organised dialogue in schools and among out of schools youth , supported clubs with peace costumes and holding meetings peace clubs in preparation to cultural gala competition

Conducted a radio sensitisation on WAYA Tomorrow peace builders project on 102 mega FM, a known local radio in Northern Uganda which is hard all over northern, Eastern and Central Part of Uganda, South Sudan and Eastern Congo.

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To increase the coverage, negotiation is ongoing with Mega FM Radio Station to be allotted some minutes to WAYA for radio talk show on Peace Program.The level of pupils and community knowledge about the tomorrow peace building project increased. Therefore both children and adult committed themselves in resolving and preventing conflicts in their communities. As a result, cases of strike reduced in both schools and communities. Mutual understanding among children especially during competitions organise in both schools and communities. It was experience during post PLE football tournament organised by the district in December, 2014.

Most school head teachers appreciated the programme that it will help in resolving conflict between pupils and parents, pupils and teachers and parents and teachers as it .The project was commended by Gulu district inspector of school Mr. Robinson Oboth, he stated many people, pupils and adults requires skills in handling conflict, he added that why we have conflict is because children are not natured at early satge’’.WAYA intervention will help us scale down conflict in the schools especially when they are trained with life skills. He added that peace clubs shall also reduce school drops outs and early pregnancy for girls.

Activity 2: Monitoring visits and profiling of groups data.

Conducted 18 school and community visits to assess the availability of functional peace clubs and also brief schools head teachers, matron, patrons and community peace clubs groups leaders to collect peace club’s profile

Out of 18 clubs, 6 are at schools clubs while 12 are out of schools peace clubs identified for the training

3. Registration of peace clubs for cultural galas

8 cultural clubs have been registered ready for competition for peace cups in March 2015,they at the moment doing practise

Challenges There is an overwhelming demand from schools and community of

peace clubs for support and yet WAYA has some limited resources to reach all the communities through peace building activities.

4. Activity: Training of the peace clubs.

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Trained 166(79F,87M)6 in schools and out of schools peace clubs .The schools peace clubs included p Layibi Techo primary ,Layibi central primary ,Layibi primary ,kasubi Army primary ,Kasubi Central primary school, Gulu Army secondary schools ,while and Young stars and Holy rosary green were the community peace clubs

The training Objective was to;

Increase the knowledge on peaceful co existence among the youth To equip youths and young people with life skills, and how to cope up

with challenging situation Trained out of schools children in one school on how to identify what

causes conflict and how to mitigate it ,life skills and art drawing were done

Introduction:Training youths and young people on peaceful coexistence is crucial as Northern Uganda move from Conflict to development phase. It has to be noted much as physical conflict has ended, there still a lot of problems and misunderstanding in the schools that if not handled at a early stage can result into fatal conflict. The youth are challenged with difficulties in decision making; this has always affected most of our youth. Hence looking for soft life that eventually leads them into early pregnancies or anti social behaviour. It’s for this reason that WAYA is organizing a 1 day peace clubs training at school level.

The training was done at school level in order to avoid too cost and increasing also more members in the training .WAYA provided Refreshment for all the trainees.Out of schools youth were trained by WAYA in collaboration with invest in children Africa at Kanyagoga

32(16m,16f) youth and children were trained on how to cope up with trauma and stressful situation as a result of conflict

134(63 F,71M) were the in schools peace clubs

10 peace clubs were targeted, 6 in schools,4 out schools However training was done in the following schools of Gulu Army, Keyo SSS, and Secret Heart, Layibi central, Layibi Techo, Lacor , primary within Gulu Municipality

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Areas for training focused basically on; Understanding conflict Peaceful conflict resolution Life skills and behavior change Child rights and protection

There is an overwhelming demand for the training as we had targeted 3 members per group. So due to the need we had to conduct the training from the school where the pupils are staying so that bigger number would be trained in peace building and life skills.The training gave courage and hope to the youth and that there still better life after conflict Learnt how to forgive even if any thing has happened and the skills on how to mediate and resolve skills among the two people. Forgiveness brings about forgiveness and peace

Under 16 Peace Clubs Football Tournament report, February 2015A four days Foot ball peace Tournamentt was organized by WAYA among peace clubs coming from the divisions of Gulu Municipality of Laroo, Pece, Layibi and bar dege. The Tournament brought on board 6 groups of peace clubs football teams of under 16 tournament .The peace football tournament included, street kids, Dragon, Holy Rosary green, young stars, Pece football clubs and soccer prison football clubs with the theme of “Peace is a right and every one’s responsibility”. Most of the peace clubs members were children and youth with different socio cultural background who are currently living in Northern Uganda. The Dragon FC comprises of purely the South Sudanese “Dinkas” children. Street kids. These are children who live on streets for their survival, they are never included in any government programme ,no one regards them as people who cannot do any productive thing in a society and are regarded as a public problem The game also reunited the .

The main aim of this activity was to promote peaceful coexistence among the youth and children, bring together in schools and out of schools children, /youth, streets kid and other vulnerable children to interact through football and sports.

Objectives of the peace cup football tournament To bring together the youth in harmony for both in schools and out

school peace clubs.

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It was also meant to prepare in schools youth and provide guidance to them on how to behave when they go back to school.

To socialize other vulnerable categories of youth/Children through sports.

The process of the tournament

The football tournament started with orientation guidance on peaceful coexistence that was done by the WAYA Programme Manager, the deputy speaker of Gulu municipal, the youth chairperson for bar dege Division who attended.

The programme Manager, Geoffrey Omule started by first welcoming the peace clubs, district leaders, the municipal authorities for coming for this tournament. He added the peace football tournament was organized with support from peace direct-Uk to promote peaceful coexistence among youth/children in Gulu district.

The deputy speaker of Gulu municipality Mr. Akena Geoffrey started by thanking WAYA for organizing this very important even because the future of this country lies in children; He told them to always be a biding child to their parents and elders if they are to have a brighter future.

He also applauded WAYA for bringing streets kids in the tournament; they are always not included in any programme. He further added that, as municipal authorities, they shall continue to support WAYA in their intervention.

The referee Mr. Denis Kisembo who is also a teacher appreciated WAYA unique way of working with children in an inclusive way irrespective of their background. He also appealed to the district official to support the street kids in their programme .Finally he concluded that football is one of the social uniting aspect and promotes good health, they youth should concentrate on, he added.

The youth chairperson Mr. Okello Denis Obema Youth Mobiliser, Northern Uganda appreciated WAYA for organizing this event. He added that there are very many youth programmes that shall be channeled by CBOs like WAYA.

A parent from Queen Parish, Laroo appreciated WAYA for

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Mego Betty Amony the representatives of mothers, appreciated WAYA for bring youth in the peace clubs .She had to say this “ the children used to abuse and stone passerbys,but as a result of the peace clubs, it has brought them together ,their attitude has changed ,she encouraged WAYA to always meet parents of the children for collective support. The peace clubs has also brought on parents”

Mego Lucy Oulanya ,councilor 4 ,Laroo pledge to continue to support the youth clubs initiated by WAYA after project ended,8 ball were noted with a total of 150,000 Uganda shillings from leaders

A speech from Dragon foot ball clubs Mr. Rubangakene Mandela Nelson, A team captain. This team comprises of only Dinkas, children who are refugees from south Sudan .Appreciated WAYA for organizing the foot ball tournament because it has united them. They use to leave in fear that since they are south Sudanese, they would be attacked. He advised the fellow youth not to always abuse each other because they are all brothers carrying red blood when cut. He also appealed to the leaders to always organize tournament of that kind if possible every holydays breaks.

WAYA supported the 1st with a peace cup, the second runner was awarded 02 balls and all the participating peace clubs were also provided with 1 football each as a way of motivating the peace clubs for continued social interaction in their various groups. The winning Peace club was the Holy Rosary Green; they scored 3-1 against dragon Football Club. Under 16 was targeted since when we built a strong spirit of peace, they would carry it when they grow up and also most of the programmes implemented by both NGOs and government was not targeting them.

Achievement

6 peace clubs football clubs participated in the tournament that reached 95 youth/children who actively played football and also were provided with some guidance and advice on how to behave both in school and in the community.

17 local leaders who attended the tournament also to mobilize local leaders and parents to support children education and peace resolutions of conflicts.

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Parents were sensitize on the various WAYA peace activities and how they can support their children from the school

Mega FM 102 a media house also conducted a community talk show where WAYA peace activities were broadcasted over the radio that reached approximately 60,000 listeners as indirect beneficiaries.

The local leaders from Municipality and local leaders from the Gulu district local government, pledged to always integrate WAYA initiative into their programmes.

The tournament was closed by the municipal deputy speaker

Positive issues

The foot ball has now reuniting non school youth/Children and in school youths/Children

Brought Street kids to social integration It also brought on board non national and children from south

Sudan, DRC Congo and Ugandan children Leaders of Gulu municipality are integrating and supporting

football activities into their development plans The youth who are in the peace clubs are always guiding the peace

clubs on how they should always behave in the community. Media houses gave WAYA free slots for children.

2. Cultural Revival Project

Children and youth were trained in cultural dance. Play helps in trauma healing, improved on relation among children and youth, promote peace and forgiveness among youth as they tolerate one another during the performance. The performance is used for mobilisation during outreaches. It is also a means for communicating issues affecting the lives of the people in the community. It is a non violence way of resolving conflict in that the dances performed is peaceful and entertaining but the songs pass the message about issues affecting the people. Is create awareness to young generation about the value of the culture of the Acholi people in bring peace, harmony and development in the society. It also aimed at restoration of the eroded culture of the Acholi which is rich in up bring children of Acholi people and respect for people.

42 children age between 9 and 25 years of age were trained in cultural dances. They include 30 girls and 12 boys. The children were trained from the community of kanyagoga, kasubi in Bardege Division and

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iriaga parish in Laroo Division. They include children in school and out of school this was done to promote unity among the youth in school and out of school..

Achievement

Trained 45 children and youth in cultural activities Cultural dance Performed United children from within Uganda and foreign national children from

South Sudan and DRC Congo

Challenges Negative attitude towards cultural activities by the community Inadequate costumes and uniform for training

Recommendation There is need to support the groups with peace costumes so that

they can actively participate. Youth who are out of school need support in order

to reduce their vulnerability situation and

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Commemoration of international days

WAYA participated during the commemoration of 52 Uganda independence celebration and International women days

WAYA also received 2 international student who are conducting research from University Makerere University –Uganda(Norway citizens) and Canada students

The board vice chairperson Ms. Guretti Okello Odoki giving a remark during the tomorrow peace builder’s sensitisation and dialogue meeting at Kanyagoga, Gulu Municipality

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The Director of Eclipse Nursery and primary school trying to encourage parents to always support their children education if they are to do well.

The peace clubs supported by WAYA are entertaining the gust during community sensitisation on tomorrow peace builder’s project at Kanyagoga village, Gulu municipality.

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The 2 peace animators David Oweka and Acen Lillian Fiona pose at WAYA Office with their sport bicycles handed to them to facilitate peace activities under tomorrow peace builder’s project with funds from Peace Direct-Uk

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Program Manager, Geoffrey - WAYA on t shirt handing over the sport bicycle to the peace Animator mr David Oweka , purchased with funding from peace Direct-UK

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Meeting the matron and peace clubs of Layibi primary school during sensitisation on Tomorrow peace builder project with the pupils from primary five and primary six in November 2015.

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A representative of Dragon FC receiving a prize as a second runner up from Hon Deputy Speaker, Gulu Municipality .

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