Enterprise NGO fosters peace with Girls Say Yes

ZAINAB KAMARA

THE Ryu Dan Empowerment Foundation conducted its Girl Say Yes peace initiative which was geared at fighting crime in Enterprise.

The six-month youth mentorship initiative, which was supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), trained 35 participants, aged 12-22, who were awarded certificates of completion. They were officially named as peace ambassadors for their community when the programme ended.

Ryu Dan is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that provides a range of sports, academic, mental health and entrepreneurial services programmes. Its co-founder and executive director Shihan Marva John-Logan said the programme, which used netball as the tool to promote psychosocial change, was a “resounding success” and she is already looking forward to training a new cohort of girls.

“The goal of the initiative was really to foster a beautiful relationship where these young ladies will become voices for peace and become peace ambassadors. Where they can talk to parents, their peers and other people in the community to really tell them that crime is not the way. We have other avenues.

“We don’t need to join gangs or be involved in a life of crime. As a young girl we don’t need to be out on the street or fighting in and out of school for boys. We are here as peace ambassadors to let you know of the opportunities that are available and that you could make a difference in your community and your life.”

In addition to learning netball, the programme also exposed the girls to conflict resolution exercises, spoken word, entrepreneurship, dance, sign language, food preparation, resume writing and etiquette training.

Participant Norima Francois, 18, lauded the programme saying it was an important tool that helps girls peacefully solve conflict and better serve their Enterprise community.

“The most important thing I learnt was empathy and how to communicate with my peers. It would help me better serve my community by showing respect for others.”

Another participant, Analisa Boyce, 21, said she joined the programme because she loves being a part of anything positive in her community.

“I just love taking opportunities when they come at me. Being a part of the Ryu Dan Empowerment Foundation, I have been benefiting a lot from all the different programmes I have joined.”

She said the programme helped with her self-development and sustainably empowered her so that she, too, could empower other people.

“I know for a fact that programmes like Girls Say Yes are important for the young ones growing up in our community and country. I have realised that being a part of these programmes also helps with developing self, looking within self and making self a better person. Things that I didn’t learn in primary or secondary school, I learnt through the initiative. Now I could go and help build someone else – a stranger, a friend, a family member.

“I have learnt that you can come from different areas, different backgrounds, different upbringing but most importantly is remembering that we are all alike and remembering that it is not about wanting to fight someone else for something that doesn’t belong to us but working with them to achieve something, whether it be within the community, in schools or in groups or in the workplace.”

UNDP-assigned project coach Colin Bartholomew said the organisation collaborated with Ryu Dan through its peace innovation challenge which engages and presents projects to a number of communities that are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – promoting peace and sustainable communities.

“The Girls Say Yes project being from that area and particularly the model they were built around using sports to guide community engagement, participation and in particular looking at the niche of this group of young ladies, they really attracted the attention of the UNDP. The project was really a very successful project.”

Bartholomew said the initiative was important because in addition to helping improve the girls’ lives, the selection of the participating cohort promoted opportunities for increased diversity, equity and inclusion. He also said the age of the girls created an element of sustainability and succession.

“The earlier you do the engagement the greater the sustainability and longevity of the initiative.”

Bartholomew said the UNDP is committed to rolling out initiatives that promote the achievement of the SDGs and as such will continue its work in the Enterprise community.