Djenabú Baldé, from the Organization Trajectory for Demining Violence [Organização Trajectoria para Desminagem da Violência], headed the Project of Putting in Place Communitary Structures for the Conflict Resolution [Projecto Instalação das Estruturas Comunitárias de Resolução de Conflicts] and said “This opportunity here in the region of Pitché was phantastic! The utilization of restorative methodology was very useful, and even more so due to having formed local teams for conflict mediation in these vulnerable communities without resorting to courts of law. After 4 months of work, we can assert that the Tabancas live in harmony”, Djenabú pointed out.

When we empower the population and turn it into an agent of change, of exchange of knowledge, and integrate the rational use of forests into everyday life, conviviality and communitary relations improve, said Deusa da Silva from the Organization Regional Council of the Youth of Cacheu [Organização Conselho Regional da Juventude de Cacheu]. “With the project Management of Communitary Forests, I gained a great many of experience working with communities, and the same goes for the capacitation of young men and women to avoid abusive devastation of forestry resources for sustainable production of charcoal and timber, including good agricultural practices concerning peanuts, rice and cashew trees. Now it is communities who will manage and supervise the forest areas with the support of the young moderators”, she added.

Rosalia Djedjo from the Association “Onenoral” of the Children and Friends of the Suzana Section, shared that due to the implementation of the project Ekuosenodia more people could be mobilized, including women to participate in the mediation committee and strengthen the role of dialogue in conflict management with the communities of Culagi, Elia, Arami, Djobel, Cassú. “What was important to us was the fact that communities became aware of the role of the Mediation Committee headed by traditional authorities, as this allowed to reduce conflicts between communities and to engage communities in the prevention and management of future conflicts with a view to the cashew campaign. The women are recognized as decision makers, which is a great achievement in the communities”, she revealed.

“It was very important! We had a history of a population which was indifferent towards solid waste management, “trash”, within the neighborhood. Training leaders on environmental sensitization in waste management brought about new dynamics and the communities started to participate by putting waste into the bins available in the streets” considered Cecília Odilia Hugaior from the Association of Young Farmers of Guinea-Bissau and manager of the Project Environmental Protection and Waste Management [Projecto Protecção Ambiental e Gestão do Lixo], sector of Gabu. She says that now she sees the results of the project in the sector of Gabu. “We note a decrease of waste in the streets, people are using the bins and contribute to the sanitation of the sector of Gabu and to public health in general”.

“We capacitate our key actors of fishing activities regarding fishery practices, oyster retrieval and conservation of mangroves, sustainable fishing and management of the communitary enclosure. We act in a region with many problems associated to the conservation of natural resources and reports on cattle theft. Our project has contributed to the use of appropriate nets in fisheries, women getting sensitized on retrieving oysters and protecting the trees in the mangroves, a significant decrease in cattle stealth, setting up the commission for management and vigilance of the communitary enclosure. It has also contributed to solving the conflict between the fishermen and IBAP, which allowed for joint inspections of river Cacheu to combat illegal fishing. A great success of this project Objectivo is to go on promoting the wellbeing of the communities of the Cacheu Sector”, explained Safi Injai from the National Network of Youth Organizations [Rede National de Assiocações Juvenis] and manager of the project “Peace in Cacheu”.

About the project “Mobilizing young people and rural teenagers to serve as leaders in peace-building”

Leadership that empowers and integrates social actors, aiming to develop capacities among teenagers and rural youth of building peace and resilience in communities. Thus the project “Mobilizing young people and rural teenagers to serve as leaders in peace-building” intends to enhance the capacities of teenagers and youths to influence decision making, both locally and nationally. This project identified 30 communities from two regions, Gabu and Cacheu, Guinea-Bissau. The project is financed by IRF/PBF and executed by UNDP Guinea-Bissau.

The implementation of the project is structured around two models of developing and engaging juvenile leadership, involving teenagers (12 a 16) under UNICEF responsibility, with the second model involving young people between 17 and 35 years old under UNDP responsibility.

From August to December 2018, 180 youth leaders and 4 national youth organizations, plus the National Youth Institute [Instituto National da Juventude], were equipped with knowledge, competences and leadership abilities to allow them become peace builders and influencers of the decision making process so they may contribute to peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau. It is to be highlighted that within the framework of the UNDP Essential Competences a training package was activated, which included 7 modules for peace building and collaborative advocacy, as well as training of trainers for 12 sectors identified in the 2 regions where this project was applied.

Once the training sessions were implemented, 13 innovative initiatives were funded for an implementation period of 4 months, from September to December 2019, in the context of a partnership with UN Women.