Recent Projects
Building Coalitions for Peace
For the past two decades, CAR has experienced violent conflict and insecurity, with frequent clashes between Christian and Muslim militias that threaten stability in the country. Funded by the Bureau of Democracy, Rights, and Labor at the State Department of the United States, we organize inter-community solidarity activities, focusing on Bangui, the national capital, and Bambari. In both cities, Christians and Muslims often live in different neighborhoods, which limits social interaction and promotes hostility. We stage projects to connect youth and religious leaders from different places.
Media outreach boosters this work, as mobile cinema screenings gather communities, with local Christian and Muslim associations in Bambari showing films on the security situation in CAR and value of nonviolent conflict resolution. Similarly, our soap opera Vaka ti Siriri (“City of Peace”) focuses on the cost of intolerance and power of collaboration. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, student groups in Bambari have promoted public health measures and organized clean-ups in local markets.
“I would like to thank Search for this initiative, which allowed us to reunite with our brothers and sisters after a long separation. This activity is a good way to come together and forget for a moment the conflicts of which we are victims.” —Philippe, a young Christian in Bangui
Communication et Sensibilisation pour la Cohésion Sociale (“Communication and Awareness for Social Cohesion”)
In early 2019, soon after the signing of peace agreements between the central governments and 14 armed groups, waves of public protest emerged against the integration of former fighters into official positions, risking another cycle of violent conflict. Working in Bangui, Bambari, Bangassou, and Paoua, we seek to strengthen public acceptance and ownership of the peace agreements.
We are partnering with community radio stations, TV channels, and popular publications to spread peaceful messages and train staff in conflict-sensitive approaches. For instance, one radio program has included portraits of peacebuilding role models. In these ways, we seek to build support so that peace will last.
“We have never been considered, but the government now sees how important it is to involve us in its actions for peace. Women can bring a lot to peace processes, and we want to give our best!” —Leader of a local women’s association
Creating a Safer Space for Online Engagement in CAR
Since Nov. 2020, we have partnered with Facebook to combat online hate speech and misinformation in CAR, where social media platforms can inflame religious and ethnic conflict. The project builds on a Youth Editorial Group that we previously founded in Bangui—now repurposed to moderate online debate pages, promote respectful dialogue, and ensure accurate information. We have created a hate speech lexicon and launched a popular digital campaign around the general elections in Dec. 2020.
The project has succeeded in creating a diverse editorial group that includes government authorities, peace activists, women’s association, young people, and bloggers. This group is actively monitoring developments on social media platforms, especially WhatsApp.
Youth Talk: Engaging Adolescents in Radio for Peacebuilding
Funded by the Bezos Family Foundation, we are using radio to amplify the voices of adolescents and increase their political agency. The project encourages young people to discuss key issues on radio, changing stereotypes and contributing to a rich national discussion.
“When my dad died, I lived in the street before my uncle welcomed me at his place. I did not get along with my cousins and was hanging out with troublemakers. Still, my uncle fought to get me to school, which unlocked the opportunity to meet Search’s representatives…. [T]hanks to the training I have received, I am able to stir radio discussions and I have become a role model.” —Jospin Madakouzou, a 20-year-old journalist
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