USAID/OTI Liberia Hot Topics
December 2004
Community Peace Education Program Launched in Monrovia
In the aftermath of the deadly riots of late October, 2004, LTI recognized that much of the violence was perpetrated by young people, many of whom were caught up in the chaos for a lack of any meaningful engagement elsewhere. Responding to this reality, LTI quickly adapted the Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) program – a non-formal education program intended for a rural youth population – to address the concerns of urban youth. The curriculum, which was scaled back to six-weeks, will facilitate discussions on topics including identity, health, governance and environment.
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| Community Peace Education Facilitator receives training certificate from LTI. " |
LTI recently completed the training of 42 facilitators from seven communities in Monrovia who will delivery the training to over 800 youths over the next several months. During the training of trainers (TOT) it was apparent that the facilitators were experiencing the same transformative impact of the curriculum for which it is intended. As expressed by one facilitator: “We all came here the first days and were from different communities, different religions, different ethnic groups. We did not know one another and were very wary. By talking through the issues in our communities and using skits and other ways of learning, we began to see one another not as opposing members but as all Liberians who need to use our own minds and our own judgment to better ourselves and our communities. This is what I think the peace education program has done already.”
The closing ceremony of the TOT was attended by several community members who emphasized the importance of this training. “It is critical that these young people get involved in promoting peace. We elders have talked and talked and do not get far. It is the youth that must make up their own minds to have peace in Liberia” said Musa Kamara, community representative.
The facilitators will take their new skills back to their communities and began engaging youth immediately. The first group of 280 participants in the seven communities is currently being introduced to the program through community sensitization exercises, which depict the nature and importance of community peace education.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington: John Gattorn, Liberia Program Manager, 202-712-0716, jgattorn@usaid.gov
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