UNOY Global Network Members

The Amahoro Youth Club (AYC) is a youth-led organisation founded in 2007 by a group of young University students in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The AYC was a constructive reply to the lack of representation and participation of the young generations in the social and political life of the country.

The AYC is dedicated to creating dialogue and educational activities to support the peace process in Burundi. It intends to establish a new type of working culture in civil society, with a high level of individual commitment, transparency and a long-term mission. The mission of the AYC is to contribute to the consolidation of peace and sustainable development through open spaces for dialogue and idea-sharing for young people. Especially, the AYC aims at contributing to the improvement of the Burundian civil society by directing the energies and willingness of the young population towards an active engagement in the processes for the achievement of stability and democracy as well as development in the country.

The objectives of the AYC are:

To research and promote peace and reconciliation as widely as possible;
To achieve sustainable development for all Burundians;
To raise young people’s awareness about human rights, gender equality and democracy, and encourage them to fight against discrimination;
To provide educational activities to empower civil society and young people to build peace;
To involve Burundian youth both nationwide and overseas in the social, economic and political reconstruction of the country;
To reestablish solidarity and community cohesion in Burundi, focused on building peace, development and democracy; and
To create a context allowing young people in Burundi and the Diaspora to express themselves and participate in the peaceful resolution of conflict.

Examples of past-activities and achievements:

PEER-TO-PEER COUNSELLING IN BUJUMBURA
In 2006, a Swedish businessman based in Bujumbura decided to work with members of the Amahoro Youth Club (AYC) to reintegrate 20 adolescents living on the streets. The initiative aims to provide psychological support, mentoring, and recreation to help these young people cope with neglect, low self-esteem, withdrawal and hopelessness. The project began in June 2008, and will hopefully be rolled out elsewhere.

CULTURAL SEMINAR
A two-day seminar was held, comprising presentations, debates, group activities, question and answer sessions, role play, games and relaxation. AYC explored issues such as expressing disagreement, behaviour in conflict, personal and collective responsibility, concepts of time, body language, ideas of family, gender equality, etc. The seminar was followed by a one-day workshop on non-violent communication.

STUDY CIRCLE
The study circle allows us to have intellectual and educational debates about issues affecting young people. The goals of the Amahoro Youth Club (AYC) are to establish a more pluralist, more democratic and fairer society. In the circle, participants takes turns to carry out miniature research projects, give a presentation, and respond to questions on a particular topic. This helps us develop our perspectives on various issues. The circle has met twice a month since August 2008.