Leading the charge in building sustainable peace and driving economic development in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, PIND Foundation joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Youth Day 2024, themed “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,” by showcasing how its Peace Champions are using digital tools to foster peace in the region.
This year, 90 individuals aged 18 to 35 were selected from a pool of over 700 applicants for the third cohort of the Peace Champions program organized by PIND. The Peace Champions program is a tool used to ensure young people are actively involved and contribute to building peace in their communities. These champions were carefully chosen from each Niger Delta state based on their passion, expertise, and regional impact, each committed to fostering peace and supporting community progress throughout the region.
They were trained on PIND’s Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) system, including the SMS-based platform for real-time reporting. The training also covered leadership, volunteerism, conflict management, and mindset change. Among these dedicated youths, we highlight two exceptional Peace Champions who have effectively used digital tools in their impactful roles.
Esther Chisom Nwani
Esther’s work as a Peace Champion and youth advocate highlights her commitment to peacebuilding. She addresses conflicts in her community, Warri South, Delta State, by combining her role as an environmentalist with the effective use of PINDs early warning SMS platforms and social media as digital tools. She supports her community, merging her professional skills with her passion for peace.
Her involvement with PIND began with her participation in last year’s International Youth Day celebration. She was motivated to apply for the Peace Champions cohort when she saw a call for applications in the PIND newsletter.
“The Peace Champion cohort has given me the clarity and formal training crucial for advancing my conflict resolution work,” she says.
She shared that the Peace Champion cohort training significantly enhanced her understanding of conflict resolution, regardless of the stage of the conflict. The program refined her skills in conflict mitigation, situational awareness, and effective communication. She now sees herself as a peace monitor, emphasizing the importance of volunteering and passing on her knowledge to other young people in her community.
Esther’s effective use of the Conflict Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) system and social media has been vital to her efforts. With her advanced skills and proactive approach, Esther remains a key contributor to fostering peace and security in her community.
Temple Halliday
Temple’s story exemplifies resilience and dedication. Despite living with a disability, Temple, a student at Rivers State University and an indigene of Bonni LGA, Rivers State, has made significant contributions through his volunteer work. He connected with PIND through an organization, the African Community Strategy and Empowerment Foundation (ACSEF), which focuses on community and civic engagement. As a peace advocate in his community, he spearheaded initiatives across seven communities on Bonni Island, including civic education and public enlightenment on peaceful electioneering, while educating residents on active participation in democratic processes.
When Temple discovered the Peace Champion opportunity on Facebook, he recognized that it aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 16, “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions,” which resonates deeply with him. Despite his physical challenges, he applied and fully embraced his role as a Peace Champion in his community. His dedication to helping others and giving back to his community is evident in his work as a conflict mediator.
Temple efficiently uses the PIND SMS platform as a digital tool, synthesizes his reports into clear formats, and uses various social media platforms to submit them through the EWER system.
“The EWER platform is highly effective. It enables anonymous, timely reporting, which is crucial for my peacebuilding work,” he praised the system’s efficiency.
Esther and Temple’s experiences and use of PIND’s peacebuilding digital platforms reflect this year’s International Youth Day theme by demonstrating how digital technology can foster sustainable development and social impact. The Peace Champion program is dedicated to addressing conflicts in the Niger Delta region by ensuring young people are actively involved in the promotion of peacebuilding in their communities. PIND utilizes digital tools and peacebuilding expertise to empower participants to manage emerging conflicts through strategic peace messaging, early warning systems, mediation, and collaboration with local stakeholders.
