Additional Youth Projects

Making Contact
When Burundi erupted into a state of crisis in February 2001, SCG arranged for a core group of 32 youth leaders from JAMAA's Gardons Contact (Let's Keep in Touch) project to mobilize for its true purpose: to present a unified and well-behaved model to youth at times when the threat of inter-ethnic violence is high. The youth leaders came from Bujumbura city and province to help the World Food Program and CARE International in emergency food distribution to the 50,000 people displaced by fighting between government and rebel troops in the city. Their help not only assisted the humanitarian efforts but it also demonstrated their stand for peace and hope.

Football for Reconciliation
In December 1999, youth in Bujumbura and Ngozi participated in the first soccer tournament in an ethnically divided district. The project now holds a soccer tournament/weekend camp once every four months and an evening dialogue/roundtable focused on a video or event of interest once a month.

The Youth Project has increasingly used sporting events to have a similar impact on communities. They have organized several soccer tournaments, which required each team to be fully integrated. By being on mixed teams, individuals are forced to train together in each other's neighborhoods as well as build a common identity around the sport. This project has particular importance because it is not only exposing young people from different ethnic groups to one another, but compels them to work together toward a common goal.

Peace Camp
Another youth project led by Search is with Visage Artistique du Burundi, an association headed by a Studio member. In August 2000, Search and Visage Artistique du Burundi conducted a youth day camp at the Musee Vivant. Each week 60 children ages 7-14 were picked up in three neighborhoods of different ethnic composition and brought the camp, where they were taught peace oriented songs, drawing and theater. Throughout the period of the camp, a local association that was trained in conflict resolution by the Women's Peace Center worked with the children.