Great Lakes Center For Peace and Community Recovery

Empowering young people to become agents of peace and social cohesion in the Great Lakes region The "Youth, Peace, and Security" program by JAMAA Grands Lacs is an initiative that places young people at the heart of efforts to prevent conflict, promote peace, and strengthen social cohesion in the African Great Lakes region. Against a backdrop of communal tensions, conflict, disinformation, social divisions, and limited youth participation in decision-making processes, the program views youth not merely as a population affected by crises, but primarily as a force capable of actively contributing to building lasting peace. Our ambition JAMAA Grands Lacs aims to create spaces where young people can express themselves, engage in dialogue, learn, collaborate, and take action on issues affecting their communities. The program supports young people in developing the skills needed to become community leaders, mediators, peace ambassadors, and agents of change. Our key areas of intervention 1. Dialogue and social cohesion Creating spaces for dialogue among young people from diverse backgrounds, communities, and territories to foster listening, mutual understanding, and harmonious coexistence. 2. Civic participation Encouraging young people to participate in discussions and initiatives related to community life, local governance, and issues of peace and security. 3. Conflict prevention Strengthening young people's capacity to identify tensions, understand their root causes, and help prevent them through dialogue, mediation, and community-based initiatives. 4. Combating disinformation and hate speech Developing young people's critical thinking and digital skills to enable them to identify misleading information, curb the spread of hate speech, and promote responsible social media use. 5. Youth-led peace initiatives Supporting young people in designing and implementing concrete actions that address the challenges facing their communities: awareness-raising campaigns, community dialogues, cultural activities, civic actions, and digital initiatives. 6. Youth leadership and empowerment Training and mentoring a new generation of young leaders capable of spearheading initiatives that foster peace, social cohesion, and community development. Youth who do not merely observe, but take action Through this program, JAMAA Grands Lacs aims to shift from an approach where young people are merely beneficiaries of peace initiatives to one where they become the designers, implementers, and ambassadors of these initiatives. Every young person has a voice, an experience, and the capacity to act. The program seeks to channel this energy into positive actions for their communities. Our approach The program is based on a participatory and inclusive approach. Young people are encouraged to draw on their local realities to identify problems, propose solutions, and work collectively on their implementation. Activities may include, among others: • Training sessions and workshops; • Inter-community dialogues; • Awareness-raising campaigns; • Civic debates; • Cultural and sports activities that foster social cohesion; • Community initiatives; • Digital campaigns; • Forums for dialogue between young people and decision-makers; • Support for youth-led projects. Desired impact Through the "Youth, Peace, and Security" program, JAMAA Grands Lacs aims to help foster a generation of young people capable of: • Promoting tolerance and respect for diversity; • Preventing conflict within their communities; • Participating actively in civic life; • Using digital technology responsibly; • Build bridges between different communities; • Drive local peace-building initiatives; • Foster an atmosphere of trust and dialogue. Our Vision A Great Lakes region where every young person can participate in building a peaceful, inclusive, and resilient society. JAMAA Grands Lacs believes that peace is not built solely within institutions. It is also built in communities, schools, neighborhoods, and digital spaces—and, above all, between people. That is why we invest in youth: because young people who are engaged today can become the force for peace of tomorrow.

Providing essential support to women and children displaced by the violence of war. Facing hunger and destitution that threaten their very survival, Inuka/Stand Up provides food aid and livelihood support to help these populations rebuild their lives. Beyond material assistance, our program offers psychosocial support to help victims overcome the trauma of war. Many have endured unprecedented violence and have no one to turn to; that is why we provide psychological, medical, and legal support services to help them regain their dignity and hope. Driven by the commitment of hundreds of young volunteers, Inuka/Stand Up is far more than just an aid program—it is a genuine community built on solidarity. Every day, our volunteers bring comfort and hope, working actively to improve the daily lives of women and children whom peace has left behind. Together, we strengthen the resilience of those who, despite everything, are fighting to survive and rebuild their lives amidst instability. Inuka/Stand Up is a program of solidarity, hope, and rebuilding.

Working to strengthen peace, social cohesion, and community resilience by fostering inclusive, sustainable, and peaceful management of natural resources in Central Africa. The program recognizes the close link between environmental issues and inter-community relations. Ecosystem degradation, pressure on natural resources, and difficulties in accessing land, water, or livelihoods can heighten vulnerabilities and create or exacerbate local tensions. The programme recognizes that environmental challenges and relationships between communities are closely intertwined. Ecosystem degradation, pressure on natural resources, and difficulties in accessing land, water or livelihoods can heighten vulnerabilities and create or worsen local tensions. In the Great Lakes region, shaped by decades of conflict and displacement, these pressures fall first on the most vulnerable: displaced families, women, young people and marginalized communities. While climate change does not cause conflict on its own, it can deepen grievances, undermine livelihoods and increase the risk of violence. Conversely, fair and shared management of resources can become a lever for dialogue, trust and reconciliation. Our ambition To make environmental protection a tool for peacebuilding, so that access to land, water and natural resources becomes a source of cooperation rather than division. Our areas of intervention Peaceful management of natural resources: supporting dialogue among communities, resource users and local authorities to prevent and resolve disputes over land, water and other resources. Environmental education and awareness: strengthening environmental awareness among young people and communities through campaigns, workshops and field activities. Climate resilience and livelihoods: promoting sustainable, income-generating solutions, such as the production of eco-friendly biochar by displaced women, which shows that climate action and peace can reinforce each other. Youth and women’s leadership: supporting their meaningful participation in environmental decision-making and peace processes, recognizing them as agents of solutions rather than mere beneficiaries. Advocacy and climate justice: amplifying community voices with decision-makers to promote responsible, transparent and inclusive governance of resources. Our approach Participatory and inclusive, it starts from local realities: communities themselves identify problems, propose solutions and implement them through training, intercommunity dialogue, consultation spaces and community initiatives. Expected impact Reduced tensions linked to access to natural resources Stronger social cohesion and trust between communities Improved resilience to the effects of climate change Greater inclusion of young people and women in local environmental governance

A psychosocial support, community resilience and peacebuilding initiative implemented by JAMAA Grands Lacs with populations affected by conflict, violence, forced displacement and humanitarian crises in Central Africa. Drawing on the principles of inclusive dialogue, reconciliation, social cohesion and community participation, the programme supports individuals, families and communities in their process of rebuilding after traumatic experiences. It emphasizes the creation of safe spaces to speak, listening, psychosocial support, the restoration of social relationships, and the strengthening of local capacities to prevent tensions and foster peaceful coexistence. In the Great Lakes region, decades of conflict, violence and displacement have left deep, often invisible wounds. Many people, particularly women, children and young people, have endured extreme violence without knowing whom to turn to. Untreated trauma can strain family and community ties, feed mistrust and sustain the cycle of violence. Healing individuals also means mending the social fabric and laying the groundwork for lasting peace. Our ambition To help every affected person regain dignity, hope and the ability to act, and to help communities become spaces of trust, solidarity and peaceful coexistence once more. Our areas of intervention Safe spaces to speak: providing confidential, caring places where everyone can express themselves without fear of judgment. Listening and psychosocial support: accompanying individuals and families through active listening, support groups and tailored follow-up, linked to medical and legal assistance where needed. Restoring social relationships: facilitating dialogue, reconciliation and the rebuilding of trust among families, neighbors and community groups. Strengthening local capacities: training community relays, volunteers and young leaders in listening, mediation and tension prevention. Resilience and recovery: connecting psychosocial support with livelihood and empowerment activities so that healing is part of lasting reconstruction. Our approach Participatory, inclusive and person-centered, it respects each person’s dignity, confidentiality and pace. Communities are not mere beneficiaries: they are active agents of their own healing and of peacekeeping. The programme relies on local volunteers, trained to support their peers with humanity. Expected impact Improved psychosocial well-being of affected people Restored trust and reduced isolation and stigma Stronger social cohesion and intercommunity reconciliation Communities better equipped to prevent tensions and foster peaceful coexistence