Ex-combatants at the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Centre in Bamenda are acquiring practical skills to help them earn an income and rebuild their lives through the ReBridge Bamenda project, an initiative financed by Xhuma Africa Association and implemented by Youth Senators and Parliamentarians.
The project aims to support the reintegration of 50 ex-combatants by providing them with practical skills, psychosocial support and opportunities to engage in peaceful and productive activities.
The training focuses on the production of liquid soap, solid soap and stain removers, as well as T-shirt printing and other income-generating activities. The beneficiaries are also learning about environmental protection, fruit tree grafting and nursery management.
Speaking during the launch of the training, at the Bamenda DDR Centre, Kum Henry, Regional Coordinator of the centre, praised the young parliamentarians for bringing their knowledge and skills to the beneficiaries.
He said the training will help participants acquire useful skills that could improve their lives in the future. According to him, the activities had already strengthened the abilities of those taking part in the programme.
Kum Henry Ichu described the skills as sustainable, explaining that they will help the beneficiaries become self-reliant and support themselves after leaving the centre.
The Coordinator of the ReBridge programme, Nduku Louis Tebi, said the project was designed to give ex-combatants practical alternatives to violence by equipping them with skills they could use to earn a living.
He explained that, apart from the production of liquid soap, solid soap and stain removers, the beneficiaries were also learning T-shirt printing and the production of customised items such as books, pens and key holders.
Nduku Louis said the project also included environmental activities, particularly the establishment of a fruit tree nursery and training in grafting and the care of fruit trees. These activities, he noted, would help promote environmental protection while creating opportunities for future income and food production.
He added that the project included sports and traditional games to encourage interaction, teamwork and peaceful relationships among the beneficiaries, youth parliamentarians and community volunteers.
According to Nduku, the activities go beyond vocational training, as they also intend to provide psychosocial support and help participants develop a positive attitude towards life. He said the project seeks to change mindsets by giving young people the skills and confidence to choose peaceful ways of meeting their needs.
He further explained that the initiative is youth-centred and youth-driven, with young people playing an active role in promoting peace, rehabilitation and community development.
He encouraged other ex-combatants who are still outside the DDR centre to consider joining the programme, saying the skills could help them generate income, meet their daily needs and build a better future without returning to violence.
One of the beneficiaries, Charles Kudi, expressed happiness with the ReBridge Bamenda project, saying the training had taught them many useful things.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the government to speed up the reintegration process so that ex-combatants could move forward with their lives and put the skills they had acquired into practice.
Tree planting, football and hand ball finals between the youth Parliamentarians, Award of prizes and trophies graced the 3 days between the Northwest Parliamentary Youth Network and the Bamenda DDR Center.
The training was initiated by the Youtj Parliamentarians Network after that pioneer visit to the centre.
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The Observer| Concise and Accurate Information
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