Grassroots Peacebuilding Surge in Yambio
Yambio town echoed with optimism after more than fifty youth leaders, women representatives and traditional chiefs completed an intensive one-day workshop on peacebuilding, organisers confirmed.
Hosted by the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, the session forms part of the project ‘From Dialogue to Leadership’, designed to sharpen community-level mediation and advocacy skills across Western Equatoria State.
Skills Transfer Targets Conflict Hotspots
Facilitators broke down conflict-resolution theory into practical exercises on dialogue circles, decisive yet inclusive decision-making, and evidence-based lobbying for local development.
Such tools, trainers argued, can diffuse land disputes, cattle-raiding tensions and other flashpoints that still unsettle parts of Western Equatoria.
Digital Safety Adds Modern Layer
A dedicated module on digital citizenship warned participants about misinformation, cyberbullying and the targeting of women activists online, issues increasingly shaping community security.
SIHA Country Director Jackie Bage stressed that safer online spaces allow female voices to reach decision-making fora without intimidation.
Young Voices Embrace Leadership
Youth delegate Mamu John said the day’s exchange shifted long-held attitudes: ‘The more women speak up, the faster our markets, schools and farms flourish’.
Several attendees pledged to launch peace clubs in neighbourhood churches and football teams, expanding the workshop’s reach beyond the hall.
Traditional Leaders Back Equality
Chief Edward Mombasa encouraged girls to vie for positions traditionally reserved for men, noting that balanced chieftaincies better mirror household realities.
Sebit Obebe, representing smaller tribes within the Azande Kingdom, urged families to back daughters’ ambitions while advising boys to act responsibly to curb early pregnancies.
Regional Collaboration for Stability
According to organisers, the Ministry of Peace views the training as a pilot for deeper collaboration among civic groups, traditional structures and state officials.
Future sessions are expected to cascade to Maridi, Mundri and other counties, gradually weaving a province-wide network of volunteer mediators.
Looking Ahead to Sustainable Harmony
While challenges persist, the Yambio cohort left the venue confident that joint youth-women action can tip the scales toward durable peace in Western Equatoria.
As one facilitator concluded, ‘Transforming mind-sets today sows stability for generations’.