UNOY Global Network Members

Peacelinks is a youth led organisation that is working to help young people. The organisation comprises of 8 active members, 4 volunteers and about 80 members. The organisation through it activities every year is reaching about 500 young people (Outreach programme, youth camp, Vocational skills training and arts and craft training and Music). The outreach program and youth camps involves advocacy in HIV/AIDS, youth leadership trainings, reconciliation, behavioral change, etc. all these programs a meant for young people especially school going and underprivileged youths.

Mission

Peacelinks is dedicated to enabling young people, especially those in extremely difficult circumstances, to discover their hidden talent and untapped energy so as to become responsible and well-informed global citizens. Peacelinks believes that encouraging the development of creativity in young people will in turn bring about their a bility to make the changes needed for a better future both for themselves and their communities. We envision a future where Unity, Love and Peace will reign and a future where each child/youth, irrespective of socio-economic background will express his or her life purpose and join with others to create a peace-filled world.

Aims and Objectives

To direct special attention to children and youth and to develop in them the potential to help create their own future
To act as motivators and facilitators of positive change in individual, group and national development
To promote the shift in consciousness from fear and seclusion to unity, love, tolerance, hard work and peaceful coextended
To promote a healthy and progressive working relationship with all children/ youths and community based organization both nationally and internationally

Background

Since its inception in 1990, Peacelinks has been actively engaged in youth and child advocacy both during and after the brutal decade-long conflict in Sierra Leone. The organisation was borne out of a desire by young people to develop youth capacity to enact meaningful change in conflict-prone Sierra Leone. Upon their return from a Peace way's organised Children’s World Seminar in Vermont, U.S.A, Vandy Kanyako Jr. and Umi Aisha Kabba felt inspired to establish a youth-led organisation that will help other youth and children in Sierra Leone undertake positive change. The Sierra Leone civil war, which started one year after Peacelinks was founded, had a disastrous impact on particularly children and women. In response to the crisis unleashed during the war, Peacelinks designed programs to mitigate the impact on the war’s young victims. The organisation established branches in Bo (Southern Province), Kenema (eastern province) and Makeni (Northern Province).

Success and Accomplishments

Successfully rehabilitating former child soldiers
Conducting skills training programs & providing start-up kit for trainees
Conducted trainings and workshops for children and young people in Makeni and Freetown
Successfully organization youth camps for secondary school pupils in Freetown and Makeni
Successfully used Music Dance and Drama as a tool to reach out to Young People in schools and communities
Successfully collaborated with local and International youth networks to undertake projects in Freetown and abroad

PeaceLinks