As estimated by the United Nations in 2019, young people account for 18% in the world and a considerable number is joining rebel groups every year. With the Reaching16 goals set in a context where the global community is living under torment, wars, conflicts, misunderstandings and many other calamities, there is an emergency for peace advocacy, peace building and peace maintenance. In Africa in particular, many nations are undergoing years of conflicts through which we see violation of human rights with killings, rapes, and all kinds of malicious practices. Fortunately, the United Nations Reaching16 goals is an opportunity for young people to free their different communities facing instabilities. This essay is aimed at portraying the works of a young active African, who has been struggling to make his voice heard in the path of peace, security, and stability. As such, we will start by presenting briefly, a short biography, then missions targeting to make peace possible, and finally, the concrete actions that have been taken working alongside with the Reaching16 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To begin, Bochum Samuel Bache is a Cameroonian of English expression who has grown up in the South-West region of the country (one of the regions seriously affected by war between separatist fighters and armed forces in the last four years). He is a holder of a Bsc. In Geography from the University of Buea Cameroon. He came up with the idea of a local youth empowerment forum, YAPCEC (Youths Advocates for Peace and Empowerment Cameroon) since 2015. Visit YAPCEC here. He shaped the forum with the vision “to create a global platform and be one of the leading youth network in the promotion of peace and environmental education in Cameroon, Africa and the world” and the mission “to provide youth with relevant skills and knowledge that will empower them access opportunities to improve their lives and communities.” In accordance to this, Bochum Samul has brought a spirit of peace and security in his community, the anglophone regions, Cameroon, and Africa as a whole. As a passionate of peace building, he has won multiple awards as a global peace ambassador.
In a country hit from its four angles, Bochum has witnessed the threats of Boko Haram in the North of Cameroon, separatist fighters in the West and Central African Republic’s “Anti-balaka” and “Ex seleka” rebels in the East and South. With regards to this, the young and active citizen set out to achieve the following goals: to get involved in community mapping on community needs and wants, to engage in community mobilization, to foster inclusive community participation on peace advocacy, to draft community development impact projects, to engage and involve all community stakeholders in capacity building programmes, to engage and involve all community stakeholders in the planning and execution of community development programmes and projects; all in the areas of peace building, democracy, local governance, development skills, leadership, entrepreneurship and capacity development.
Through these missions and visions, Bochum Samuel Bache has been able to undertake many actions in his full volition of peace advocacy, peace maintenance, and security. Couple with his determination and commitment, he has trained and certified about 1000 youths as UN SDGs advocates across Cameroon and the world using online training platforms and webinars since march 2020, organized 10 peace building workshops in Cameroon and Africa, trained and certified 50 leaders as peace and governance experts. Moreover, through his Peace Academy, he has trained and certified 50 leaders Africa as global peace advocates and ambassadors. In the same direction, he has sensitized 1000 youths in Cameroon on peace building and awarded 50 top Cameroonian youth leaders and global peace ambassador honours awards form the Peace Academy. Still with the Peace Academy, he has set up a Global online and offline Peace building School with a programme of 8 courses to complete between two weeks and one month. At the end of the programme, students are certified global peace advocates and ambassadors and equipped for global prosperity.
In a country full of young citizens, the initiative of Bochum Samuel is urgent and of utmost importance so as to appease the minds of the youths and make them to shatter violence since violence can only generate violence. His works has so far been very pertinent and beneficial for his community, his country, and Africa.