U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers hosted 78 Ugandan youth at the second-annual Peace Camp Greater North Uganda in Gulu from August 12-18, 2012. Peace Camp is a week-long participatory camp for Ugandan youth aged 17-25 from the Acholi, Iteso, Lango, and Alur tribes, which were deeply affected by the war in northern Uganda.
During Peace Camp, held at Gulu’s Ocer Champion College, Peace Corps Volunteers, Ugandan co-counselors, cultural elders, and reconciliation consultants offered campers peace-building and leadership training to empower them to become peaceful leaders in their communities. Throughout the week, campers shared their experiences through song and prose; cultural elders emphasized the importance of maintaining traditional song, dance, culinary, and social customs; and counselors and consultants led practical trainings on leadership and empowerment skills.
Peace Camp co-Director Mari Kelley told the Ugandan participants that “Peace Camp will help you to begin developing the peace-building skills necessary to establish and maintain violence-free homes and communities and to heal your own mind, body, spirit, and soul. My vision is that you develop compassion, respect for each other, the ability and willingness to listen, openness to learning, and the skills needed to heal yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually through peace-building techniques.”
Peace Corps Country Director Loucine Hayes echoed these sentiments, saying she hoped campers would find peace both with themselves and within their communities. “Peace building is a process,” Hayes said. “It requires work every day. This work is hard but if done willingly, with love and commitment, it becomes a song for your heart. That song starts with forgiveness and flows then to your families and communities to build a peaceful country that prospers with hardworking, fun-loving, and responsible citizens like each and every one of you.”
Given Uganda’s large youth population, equipping young people with the skills to succeed is essential to Uganda’s future. As empowered peace makers, Peace Camp alumni will carry these lessons with them for the rest of their lives.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded Peace Camp 2012 through a Volunteer Activities Support and Training (VAST) grant. Gulu Youth Development Association (GYDA) and Comboni Good Samaritans are Ugandan co-sponsors.
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