Mobilizing the Power of Sports to Promote Peace
South Sudan and Uganda are two countries marked by protracted conflict and war. Both countries have high levels of violence and insecurity. In South Sudan, more than four million people are displaced, and women who have experienced sexual and gender-based violence is documented to be 40%. Youth unemployment is high, which means that there are often no options other than to join armed groups. In Uganda, the LRA has created great suffering where children have been recruited as child soldiers and where people have been murdered, raped or tortured. Uganda has also received large numbers of refugees from South Sudan over the past decade. Children and young people in South Sudan and Uganda have an upbringing shaped by conflict, insecurity and violence. The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative wants to change that!
In the project the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative seeks to strengthen its series of peacebuilding activities that mobilize sports as a platform to disseminate values of peace and provide psychosocial support to beneficiaries.
The project is supported with SEK 5 000 000.
What does the project deliver?
WPDI will deploy its Peace Through Sports program in eight locations across South Sudan and Uganda. Originally designed to provide psychosocial support to young Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Peace Through Sports builds on a mix of activities combining sports (practice, competitions) and awareness raising (workshops, group discussions, town hall style meetings) to promote peace, reconciliation, and human rights-based values within and between communities affected by conflict, armed violence and fragility at large.
Why do we support the project?
The project contributes to strengthening the livelihood of children and young people in conflict-affected countries, as well as contributing to increased skillsets that can lead to work and strengthening opportunities for community rehabilitation and peace. The project is also part of the work that we do within Sports for social change- sector.
Project time status
95%
This project started in January 2023 and ends in December 2024
For more information: https://www.wpdi.org/
