The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO), a faith-based organization, has adopted newsletter writing as a means to instil the culture of peace and non-violence in children.
It did this through a competition organised for its Peace Clubs in 14 schools, comprising 496 participating students across the Diocese.
The initiative under the Integrated Peacebuilding for Improved Food and Nutrition Supply (IN-PEACE) project, sponsored by the MISEREOR, was categorised into five areas, including poetry recitals, speech delivery, article writing, storytelling and fine art.
It was held on the theme: “Building Culture of Peace and Non-violence: the Vision of School Children” and zoned in three areas, including Bawku, Nakpanduri and Bunkpurugu.
Speaking to the media on the final day of the competition in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Dr Joseph Ayembilla, Human Development Coordinator, NABOCADO, explained that the project was aimed at consolidating the prevailing peace in the conflict-prone areas, including Bawku and Bunkpurugu and their environs.
He said peace was key for sustainable socio-economic development and the children could play roles in achieving and sustaining peaceful coexistence when they were sensitised to eschew violence in settling their differences.
Mr Joseph Bangu, Director of Good Governance, Justice and Peace of NABOCADO, noted that the children were the future of every society and it was imperative to instil the culture of peace-building in them to contribute to a resilient peaceful society and nation.
He said the competition was to further create a platform for the children to interact, share ideas and envisage how to contribute to building a peaceful environment for sustainable development.
Mr Theophilus Abolga, the Project Officer, noted that the competition benefitted schools from both Upper East and North East Regions.
He said the objective of the project was to build the children’s capacity for peace through various activities such as newsletter writing and excursion, among others.
Ms Esther Awini, a teacher at Bawku Presbyterian Junior High School, lauded the efforts of NABOCADO to imbibe in the children the need to create a harmonious environment for growth and development.
She said it would make the children be ambassadors of peace, especially in the Bawku and its environs, which had suffered violence in the past.
Ms Zuwera Musah, a 14-year old student of the Daduri R/C JHS, in a poem stated that women, children and persons with disabilities were the most affected during the conflicts and appealed to the factions involved in the Bawku conflict to embrace peace.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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