Social change through youth sports in wartorn South Sudan aim of Peace Scholar recommended by local clubs and District

Posted on Mar 10, 2024
Jackson Wenesayo, of Yambio, South Sudan and now a Rotary Peace Fellow, in Peacebuilding & Conflict Transformation studies at Makerere University, in Kampala, Uganda, has expressed his gratitude to District 5040 for reviewing and endorsing his 2024 Rotary Peace Fellowship application.  His appreciation was sent to the Rotary committee representing the three Prince George Rotary Clubs, Prince George Rotaract Club and Quesnel Rotary Club for their recommendation and then to the required District review panel who endorsed his application to compete at the final world level review where he was approved as a successful recipient. -- photo: Jackson Wenesayo, with Makerere University Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe
 
Jackson with Dr. Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, Director  of the Rotary Peace Center and Associate Professor at Makerere University, Department of Religion and Peace Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Jackson says, "Your trust in me for this esteemed fellowship is genuinely appreciated, and I am committed to absorbing every aspect of knowledge during my tenure at Makerere. It is my earnest aspiration to translate this acquired wisdom into meaningful contributions towards fostering peace and development in our world. The Rotary Peace Fellowship has already proven to be a transformative and enriching experience. I am grateful for the support."
 
His aim in taking advantage of this opportunity of a Rotary Peace Fellowship is to gain a deeper understanding of empowering youth towards self-reliance, serving as catalysts for peace, and contributing to community development in the midst of ongoing warfare in South Sudan. His Social Change Initiative is centered around strengthening young people’s social cohesion for peaceful coexistence and development. His particular focus is on sports as a transformative tool for fostering peace and development in Yambio. He is working on attracting funding for the implementation of this Initiative.
 
He reports that he has been actively participating in the cooperative network established among the 21 Rotary Peace Fellows from my Cohort 7. He has also connected with the Rotary E-Club of Naguru in Kampala to expanding his professional network. 
 
"Attending both onsite and online Rotary Club meetings has provided me with a platform to integrate into the Rotary community and build essential connections."
 
Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,700 fellows who now work in over 140 countries. Many serve as leaders in governments; NGOs; education and research institutions; peacekeeping and law enforcement agencies; and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.
 
Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda