Children, youth and young adults committing to peace

The project promotes the active role of children, adolescents and young adults in Togo in creating a resilient, peaceful society.

It is based on the experiences and evaluation results of the regional project and is now expanding them to the prefectures of Dankpen and Kozah in Togo. Dynamics and structures that have already been created in the prefecture of Tchoudjo will continue to be supported for their sustainable anchoring. The young people involved in peace work there are now being used as speakers, e.g. in training courses.

In addition to expanding proven approaches from the regional project, young people are being strengthened in particular to deal with fake news and social media. In addition, young people's access to the labour market is to be improved through targeted strengthening and their integration into cooperatives.

The project is thus based on 3 pillars:

1. The creation of employment opportunities, economic cooperation and the strengthening of important knowledge and skills for the labour market.
2. To detect and combat fake news, such as fraudulent recruitment methods for exploitation purposes.
3. The promotion of peaceful intercultural coexistence, civic engagement and intergenerational dialogue in communities.

Key actors are children's and youth groups, cooperatives, school clubs and municipal youth councils, schools, universities and training centres, chambers of crafts, local businesses and career counselling, media,
Local governments, local development committees, traditional and religious leaders, and specialist services to combat misinformation and violent extremism.

Overall objective: Children and young people in Togo's Sahel region grow up in an inclusive, peaceful and resilient society that protects their rights, promotes their professional integration and strengthens social cohesion.

Project objective: Children, adolescents and young adults from project communities are actively involved in their community to promote economic prospects for young people, a critical approach to disinformation and social cohesion against violent extremism.

Sub-objectives:

1. Adolescents and young adults from the project communities have knowledge and practical skills for their professional integration.
2. Children, adolescents and young adults from the project communities have a critical view of the use of social networks and are able to recognize or question misinformation.
3. Children, adolescents and young adults from the project communities have practical skills as well as the recognition of local leaders for the prevention of violent extremism and the promotion of peace and civic participation.

• Formation of a network of career counsellors and career orientation days in educational institutions
• Economic strengthening of youth cooperatives and multi-stakeholder workshops to form cooperations
• Training of multipliers against fake news, workshops on fraudulent recruitment methods and awareness-raising in educational institutions
• Dialogue forums in congregations and congregational dialogues between the generations
• Social media video clips and radio broadcasts
• Community campaigns for joint commitment, tree planting campaigns at schools and sporting events
• Establishment or renewal of the ombudsman offices for the concerns of young people in the municipality as well as citizen participation formats
• Interreligious mobilization campaigns
• Further development of the Good Practices Handbook

Project costs: 739.088 Euros

Financial partners:

• Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• CREUSET-Togo
• Kinderrechte Afrika e. V. (i.e. donations)

Do you want to support this project?  We are looking for further financial partners for this project! Feel free to contact us or donate with the reference "Project Togo – Young Peace Actors"

Picture above: Young people explain at a community event what peaceful coexistence can look like. © Luise Hoffmann