Brilliant Mukaro
Centre News Hub
ECLF holds peace building workshop in Bikita
Brilliant Mukaro
Centre News Hub
BIKITA – The Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum (ECLF), a faith based organization made up of many churches in Zimbabwe held a peace building workshop in Bikita to promote peace and reduce Gender Based Violence (GBV).
The meeting which targeted the youth was attended by officials from the Youth and Women affairs Ministries and was held at Vushe primary school in ward 9 on Wednesday 8 October.
ECLF programs officer Nigel Zhou said the project which runs under the theme “Promoting Peace and Reducing Gender Based Violence” is targeting four districts which are Bikita, Gwanda, Nkayi and Beitbridge.
Participants in the meeting raised that the scourge of drug and substance abuse has become a major threat to peace in communities as it causes conflict between the victims and their relatives.
Ward 9 councilor, Surprise Pembere, told the youth that they must desist from abusing drugs as it creates conflicts and destroy peace in communities.
He said the youth must focus on productive work by doing revenue generating products and equipping themselves with vocational skills
“Success is a choice, the same as failure in life. I implore you to shun dependency syndrome and wear the jacket of self-sustenance. Form groups and pool resources together to help each other for personal growth,” Pembere said.
ECLF Gender and Social Inclusion Officer Pamhidzai Makoni-Thaka said there is need understand diversity, equity and inclusion of the youth in peace building projects.
She said communities must strive to ensure redistribution of power to make youth feel to be part of community programs.
She reiterated that promoting gender equality must make a deliberate slant towards granting women access to education, economic empowerment and challenging gender stereotypes.
“We are advocating for redistribution of power to ensure that youths become active participants in community programs. We also wish that women get access to economic empowerment and equal treatment,” said Thaka.
Thaka and Zhou capped the program by holding an anti-drug and substance abuse lecture at Chirumba High School.
ECLF was established in 2008 and has been doing peace building projects across the country.
It is a member of Act Alliance and works together with Bread for the World Protestant Development Service and UNDP.
