Youth-Powered Peace in Somalia, 365 Days a Year
Powering young people in Kismayo, Somalia to live out their dreams for peace and change, each and every day.
Written by American Refugee Committee
Explain your project idea (2,000 characters)
The city of Kismayo is in transition. On the southern coast of Somalia, it’s seen an influx of thousands of former refugees, coming home for the first time in decades. With more than half of those former refugees under the age of 30, there’s a big need for programs and activities that focus around young people. That’s where the Youth Center comes in. It's a place where young returnees can grow job skills, meet people, gain confidence, and find positive, productive outlets. Young people learn useful job skills – like hair cutting and henna design, business, and IT skills. They organize performance and artist's groups. And, the center offers English, design, and computer classes, too. As more and more young people come back to Kismayo, it’s incredibly important that they have places like the Youth Center where they can come to learn and be with friends – and just be themselves. Peace is still tenuous. Violence is not uncommon. The Youth Center is an outlet that so many depend on and grow with, but they need ways of amplifying their work - of taking what they do best and simply doing more of it. Our proposal is simple. Power these kids to make one small change of their choosing, every single day, for 365 days, and in the process change what it means to be a young person living in post-conflict Kismayo. The ideas will come from youth, will be implemented by youth, and their impact captured by youth, mobilizing a new generation of changemakers in the city. One idea per day will help to craft a new, positive identify for these kids, helping to show them abundance in the face of scarcity. Our role, aside from powering this daily change, will be to provide the back-end support and foundation these youth need to live out their dreams. A model that could be replicable in any post-conflict setting, this idea puts the ability to generate lasting peace and change into the hands of those who need it most.Who are the beneficiaries? (1,000 characters)
How is your idea unique? (1,000 characters)
This idea's beauty is in its simplicity. It's change, every single day, for and with people recovering from conflict. The ideas come straight from Somalia youth and are implemented quickly, giving them the confidence they need - we believe that the experience of having an idea and seeing it come to life is one that every young person should have. The project builds on the idea that a strong and capable generation of Somali youth is the best and only way to ensure Somalia's peaceful future - but in simple, doable steps. Confidence is built slowly yet steadily. Relationships are forged. Opportunities uncovered. And, this idea is replicable. ARC will provide the backbone for the changemaking in Kismayo, letting the youth have creative control over their ideas and how they're done. We'll provide back-end and behind the scenes support, help them generate ideas, and provide guidance when needed. It's their dreams - with our backing.Idea Proposal Stage (choose one)
- Early Adoption: I have completed a pilot and analyzed the impact of that pilot on the intended users of the idea. I have begun to expand the pilot for early adoption.
Tell us more about your organization/company (1 sentence and website URL)
Expertise in sector
- 7+ years
Organization Filing Status
- Yes, we are a registered non-profit.
In 3-4 sentences, tell us the inspiration or story that encouraged you to start this project.
In February 2018, an ARC team traveled to Kismayo to see how we could make small, yet high impact change - and what ideas Somalis had to change their world. We were floored by what we found. It was youth who had the brightest, most creative, and powerful ideas for change - and they had so many of them. We asked ourselves, what if we could power those ideas to empower youth, each and every day for a year (or beyond?)? What if peace could be generated by simple acts of hope over time?Please explain how your selected topic areas are influenced, in the local context of your project (1,000 characters).
Peace is tenuous in Kismayo, but it's fueled by opportunities, positive identities for young people, and perceived abilities to thrive and achieve dreams. In this context, it is all too easy to fall into the trappings of violent armed groups who prey on the vulnerabilities and lack of strong positive identity of youth. By showing young people that they can and will achieve their dreams, strengthening their identity as positive changemakers, we can take small steps toward making lasting peace a reality.Who will work alongside your organization in the project idea? (1,000 characters)
We will work closely with the youth at the Youth Center and ARC staff who help to manage it. These Somalis will be instrumental in envisioning change and helping to see it through. We will also work to engage the Somalia diaspora around the world, providing a platform for them to give back to youth in Somalia. Through visibility of the projects, the diaspora could be mobilized to help fuel the campaign, giving the initiative further and longer-lasting reach.Please share some of the top strengths identified in the community which your project will serve (500 characters)
Young people in Somalia have so many ideas to give back to their communities. They're looking for peace. They're searching for opportunity, change, and hope. They have an abundance of enthusiasm, creativity, and goodwill to share with the world. They just need a way to share it.Geographic Focus
Kismayo, Somalia.How many months are required for the project idea? (500 characters)
Ideally, we would implement one idea per day for 365 days. We could begin immediately.Did you submit this idea to our 2017 BridgeBuilder Challenge? (Y/N)
- No
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CommentAndrew Salema Ludigo