By Foday Moriba Conteh
In order to undertake research activities that will inform a wide range of issues bordering around development, peace and youth affairs in the country, the Executive Director of Center for Research Peace and Youth Affairs-Sierra Leone (CRYPA-SL), Abdul Kpaka ,has on Wednesday 11th November, 2020 officially launched the Center for Research, Peace and Youth Affairs Sierra Leone organization at an event held at its Old Railway Line Office Tengbeh Town in Freetown.
Speaking during the event, Abdul Kpaka, disclosed that they started as a Campus Peace Club (CPC) with its first branch established and officially launched at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone in 2017 and eventually they extended it to other Universities and schools across the country.
He added that in order to formalize its operations, CPC in 2018 officially registered as a Community Based Organization (CBO) and later affiliated with the National Youth Commission after undertaking several activities such as non-violence campaigns in schools, peace training for pupils and youths, celebration of International Peace Day, etc.
He underscored that CPC’s founding members, now Board Members, deemed it necessary to broaden its scope, hence work towards the attainment of an NGO status.
Abdul Kpaka stated that the organization was founded on the basis to inform national decision-making through research adding that most national and international programs and projects are undertaken with little empirical basis, foundation or evidences, hence when such projects or programs are undertaken, the result or impact will be low.
Kpaka added that the organization intends to be undertaking research activities that will inform a wide range of issues relating to development, peace and youth affairs on both national and international activities. He furthered that Peace and conflict activities characterize all what obtain in the world today and therefore, the need for an expert peace and conflict program in a post war developing country like Sierra Leone is key.
The Executive Director noted that, moreover, there has been a paradigm shift in security and the meaning of peace; the attention of the world is more directed now towards human security rather than physical security and that peace is more viewed now to be viable and desirable when it is certified to be in a positive state (positive peace).
He pointed out that the organization will at all time serve as an Ambassador for Peace (positive peace), promotes Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and all human related activities such as rights, social structures and human capital development.
In the area of education, Abdul Kpaka said students and pupils are faced with numerous challenges ranging from violence, human rights violation, sexual exploitation or abuse, poor lecturer-student relationships, inadequate learning environment, lack of qualified teachers and lecturers, lack of mentorship and career guidance, involvement in examination practices, teenage pregnancy, lack of respect for students and pupils and also for teachers and administrators.
He revealed that having identified the above problems, they will constitute a student youth Campus Peace Clubs that will consist largely of the very victims of the aforementioned of which he said they will solve or reduce the effects.
Head of Department, Peace & Conflict Studies at FBC, Dr. Alex Mbayo, extended appreciation to the Executive Director of the Center for Research Peace and Youth Affairs-Sierra Leone, Abdul Kpaka for the initiative, adding that this is what they are expecting from students of the Peace and Conflict Department.
He said as a department they train students to solve societal problems in order to contribute to national development also encouraging other students to emulate his footstep, adding that their department is very key to such an extent that one cannot separate the United Nations from them as peace experts.
President of the FBC Student Union, Augustine Bona, also showered praises for the laudable venture for the establishment of the said organization, adding that he came to know, Abdul Kpaka, during his days at the shores of FBC.
He admonished them to embrace each other as members in order to achieve the mandate of the organization, adding that sustainability and consistency are very key also challenging them to face difficult times and overcome them together as members of the organization.
