Thirty-nine Gelwong youth leaders from Warrap and Lakes states have completed a four-day peace training organized by the Peace Canal and funded by the Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund (POF) and TOUCH organization.
Participants were drawn from Tonj South, Tonj East, Cueibet, and Rumbek North counties. The training, which concluded Friday, aimed to strengthen peace efforts between neighboring communities and concluded with the distribution of mobile phones and chargers to the participants.
Lakes State Minister of Peacebuilding Nyanhok Malou Marial said the training had equipped young leaders with the tools and knowledge needed to promote peace across the two states.
“The youth leaders have been capacitated and empowered. The phones and charging systems will help them maintain peace and communication in the sisterly states,” she said.
Mary Arun Gol, the Peace Canal coordinator in Lakes State, said the training brought together 36 Akut-door members, with 18 participants each from Tonj East and Tonj South counties.
Wutkiir Mayom, a Gelwong youth leader from Tonj South, thanked POF, TOUCH, and Peace Canal for supporting grassroots peace efforts.
“We want peace and harmony between Cueibet County of Lakes and Tonj of Warrap states, and freedom of movement along the border,” Mayom said.
Asunta Adhieu, another participant from Tonj South, said the training was crucial in helping young people understand the root causes of violence in cattle camps.
“We have been trained well. The message passed to us is to promote peace and harmony in the cattle camps,” she said. “The people attending this training are those who are directly involved in the fighting.”
Adhieu said women were also given phones to help them communicate and share peace messages in their communities.
“Our role is to go back and talk to other women in the cattle camps about the importance of peace,” she added.
Cueibet County Paramount Chief Warkou Run Arol said local leaders would continue to work toward peaceful coexistence along the border areas between Cueibet and Tonj counties.