Name of organization:
Swaziland Intent Youth Organization
Description of organization:
Swaziland Intent Youth Organization is a grassroots movement that was founded in 2013 by university and college students in the Kingdom of Eswatini. Through workshops, community service, campaigns, dialogues and subsistence cooperatives, the organization aims to increase youth capacity to reflect and act on government policies and socio-economic issues.
Context:
The Kingdom of Eswatini has faced growing intolerance towards diverse religious and cultural beliefs. In such an atmosphere, it is necessary to initiate dialogue amongst young people in regard to the need for mutual respect and tolerance, thus preventing different opinions from gravitating towards extremist views or escalating into violence.
Proposed project and expected results:
Swaziland Intent Youth Organization proposes to address this issue by creating a safe space for interfaith and intercultural dialogue amongst young people as they develop an understanding of different cultures and religions. Youth will be engaged through bootcamps and roundtables to engender mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
By the end of the project, Swaziland Intent Youth Organization expects to:
- Host three roundtables, with panelists coming from diverse backgrounds to share perspectives on mutual coexistence and respect for the other.
- Engage 120 young people in four bootcamps, incorporating a workshop and a simulated global trip to experience different cultures and religions.
- Develop and adopt a Youth Charter on Religious Pluralism, Cultural Diversity and Peaceful Coexistence. This Youth Charter will also be distributed to the headquarters of faith institutions within the country.
Project coordinator: Sicelo Christopher Gama
Contact information: intentyouth@gmail.com