Youth organisations take hands to foster peace, tackle societal ills
Rob Youth Foundation (RYF) has joined hands with the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) to promote basic youth tenets including peace among the youth in Namibia and beyond its borders.IPYG is a non-profit, non-government organisation that believes young people can bring peaceful change in the world. The foundation is premised among similar principles that are geared at youth empowerment, sensitisation and health awareness to name a few.
Speaking at the announcement, RYF founder Robert Maseka thought it prudent to work together in various community activities that include teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and unemployment.
“I believe this collaboration will help us engage effectively and efficiently with our youth in the country as we try and mould the future from grassroots level. Just as important is making a mark on the global stage by setting a sterling example in Namibia, which can then be used as a standard by which others are held accountable to,” Maseka said.
Michael Hamutenya, IPYG Namibian Representative, said the organisation has been promoting peace activities in the country since 2018, and is excited to work together with the Rob Youth Foundation to further the cause. To this end, IPYG will be conducting an educational training programme that is availed worldwide under "Youth Empowerment Peace Classroom (YEPC)".
The programme is created for the youth suffering from a lack of education and focuses on health, hygiene, family, parental roles, global citizenship and more.
Over 1000 youth from 62 countries participated in this program last year alone.
The programme runs from 18 June to 30 August with lessons occurring bi-weekly and certificates of completion being awarded
“We anticipate the impact this course will have in the ultimate goal of achieving a world of peace a day sooner. YEPC discovers potential youth leaders in the community and allows anyone to have the right and opportunity to learn, just as the UN’s SDG goal of ‘leave no one behind’. YEPC also helps achieve SDG’s fourth goal of ‘inclusive and equitable quality education for all,” according to Hamutenya.
Aina Shiimi, Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light(HWPL) Namibian Public Relations Representative emphasised the need for the two organisations to create more awareness on peace in Namibia. “I believe we will one day have a Namibian representative at international Peace events to showcase peace-related work being done in Namibia. I am looking forward to witnessing the remarkable work that I am sure both of these organisations will do together.”
The partnership has set its sights on engaging the Ministry of Education to see how peace activities can be incorporated in the education curriculum starting at pre-primary level.