We work In the context of crisis, and a very active crisis

We work In the context of crisis, and a very active crisis

FON SOH, Coordinator of Community Initiatives for Sustainable Development.

We are partners of the Bread for the World Partnership Service Program, and we’ve been involved in this process for the past 12 years.

We work in the context of crisis, and a very active crisis, first from crisis linked to community-based conflict, now to a big regional conflict with historical and national roots and national dimensions. And Within the context of the crisis where we live and work, we’ve had a whole region that is plunged into uncertainty, with disruption of the proper functioning system, the functioning of government systems, functioning of economic, educational and social systems.

And from the arches of this is stick arm conflict, we’ve been contributing to rebuild hope, to rebuild trust, and to build a system where we advocate for an end to violence, especially on civilians, which has become a serious target, with children not allowed to go to school, and even rights, right to movement, right to economic development, right to life, highly hampered.

Our work, supported by the CPS project, has contributed a lot in providing spaces for dialogue, for reflection, and for voicing an appeal for a reduction in attacks on civilians.

Going forward, our work for the next year, we want to advocate a lot more against violence, especially within the youth circles, where radicalization has become normal. Young people are being attracted to join armed groups, and some of these armed groups actually are now criminal groups, no longer holding firm to the ideology which initially sparked the conflict which was that of having a separate state for the Anglophone region.

Besides this rising criminality, there’s also the issue of drugs. Young people have given up hope so much and are now necessarily involved in crime and violence out of frustration and despair. They are very much involved in drug consumption. And so this is an aspect that we have to address both in schools and in the youth milieu.

Another aspect that we hope to take our work forward around is the issue of participation in elections and governance. Over the past 10 years, we’ve had people without legitimacy holding political positions and managing budgets for municipalities and running systems without enough accountability.

And because armed groups have continuously asked for the population to boycott, they have arrested and tortured people who had stepped forward to stand for political positions. We want to appeal that there should be a change from this perspective such that there should be openness for people who can be voted for, be responsible and accountable, and contribute in promoting development that also reduces violence, reduces lack of accountability, and enhances the framework against criminality.