Amani clubs give students tips on peaceful coexistence

What you need to know:

  • NCIC boss Hassan Mohammed said youth are the most active group and a better understanding of them is important in any efforts aimed at attaining long-term peace building and social cohesion.
  • An initiative of the NCIC,  the Amani clubs  aim to  influence  young people on matters of positive ethnicity, nationhood and inclusivity by advocating national cohesion and integration.

  • NCIC vice-chairperson, Ms Irene Wanyoike, the overall goal of the clubs is to inculcate an appreciation of diversity among  students from different ethnic, racial and religious communities.

Three issues dominated the Kwale County Amani Clubs Forum last Friday: Reducing youth’s involvement in violence by teaching  them skills, their role in peace-building, and  in combating violent extremism.

Other issues discussed, included  bullying in school, indiscipline, drug abuse and how students can participate in community service. The students’ conference provided  a forum for  honest and open debate on diverse issues in order to build  trust and dispel stereotypes.

RADICALISATION

They  used debates, tree planting, and drama to convey  topical peace messages during the event organised at Kwale High School by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC). The  peace  clubs in  in Kwale have  helped to curb bullying, indiscipline and radicalisation in schools, local officials say.

“Since the establishment of Amani clubs in the  county, we have been carrying out activities with the sole aim of achieving  the peace objectives established by the NCIC. We have held peace football matches, peace tree-planting and peace drama festivals,” said Kwale Amani Clubs coordinator Julianah Mwanjelle.

DIVERSITY

Meanwhile, NCIC boss Hassan Mohammed said: “Youth are the most active group and a better understanding of them is, therefore, important in any efforts aimed at attaining long-term peace building and social cohesion.”

An initiative of the NCIC,  the Amani clubs  aim to  influence  young people on matters of positive ethnicity, nationhood and inclusivity by advocating national cohesion and integration.

According to the NCIC vice-chairperson, Ms Irene Wanyoike, the overall goal of the clubs is to inculcate an appreciation of diversity among  students from different ethnic, racial and religious communities.