The Civic Engagement and Empowerment Program (CEEP) aims at mitigating the cycles of violence and underlying vice of negative ethnicity by training youth, women and community leaders on principles of good citizenship, national values and peace building. Youth, women and community leaders tends to be key players in promoting a culture of peace by inculcating mutual ethnic tolerance, integration and community dialogue.

Notably, radicalization of the youth has resulted to escalations of violence in various part of the country. Also, during elections campaign, the youth are easily manipulated by the political class to trigger violence with the hope of financial gain due to their vulnerability. A worrying trend is the re-occurrence acts of the youth engagement in crimes and turning into violent when accosted by law enforcing agents. In numerous cases, violence acts have resulted to destruction of properties, imprisonment and even loss of life. Such acts necessitate raising a community of citizens who are devoted in working for peace at the grassroots.

The Centre for Character and Leadership through its CEEP project works at building the capacity of youth, women and community leaders as peace builders and loving citizens. Also, they are empowered with the tools which are essential in resolving conflicts as well as detecting and reporting early warning signs of violence through community policing. Further, an integral part of the training involves sharing with the youth, women and community leaders the best practices of breaking a culture of dependency by empowering them with value based entrepreneurial skills.

 …nothing is more important for the public weal, than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue” -Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790).