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Concept Note

Afghan Youth Peace Awareness and Afghan Peace

Process Support Initiative

Date: August 06, 2018

Submitted by:
Afghanistan Peace Development and Social Organization
APDSO

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Summary
For the last three decades Afghanistan faced serious challenges of instability due to internal
conflicts and war. The internal race for power between different groups and the USSR backed
regimes made several coup d’états in Afghanistan. The USSR invasion in 1979, started a war in
the country and the battle created destructions, ruined the infrastructure and made the
country immensely instable. Afghan people had to take refuge in different countries for a hope
to save their families and begin a peaceful life. People were striving for food and shelter in
those unfamiliar lands. The war brought instability, hater, disparities and destruction in the
country. Afghanistan was a prosperous country before the war and a large number of tourists
were coming there which provided huge amounts of revenue to the national exchequer. people
were happy and had access to quality education, standard life.

During the war era, when the governments failed to provide employment to its people, remove
poverty, provide quality education to change their life standards, the huge bulk of youth took
guns and joined insurgent and terrorist groups. Extremist thoughts and indoctrination played
very decisive role in destabilizing the country. Due to illiteracy of people the terrorists easily
misguided the innocent people in the name of religion, faith and country to fight the alien war.

Most of the Afghan society youths fighting these horrible wars are unaware of the legitimate
status of the battle. The reason they took guns are injecting extremist thoughts and
indoctrination pushing them deeper in the darkness of battle against the government and other
unwanted groups. Poverty is also a big factor playing role in acquiring fighters for insurgents.
Innocent youths are misguided for faith and financial support. This makes the peace process
lead by the government vague and the destiny of Afghan society for peace uncertain. Kunar is
one of the most instable and precarious provinces and a remote hideout for insurgents in
eastern Afghanistan. The unrestrained activities of the insurgents and terrorist in the province
has impacted the order of life in the center and outskirts of the province. High illiteracy rates
among the youth and lack of proper awareness and education drive them into endless war.
Illiteracy and poverty in Kunar province is fueling a renewable supply of soldiers to endlessly
replenish the insurgents’ positions. The APDSO has conducted a preliminary survey on peace
and stability in Kunar, the primary data shows that more than 80 percent of the youth are
unaware and less educated regarding peace & stability, and its impact on youths' life and
society.

Therefore, in order to raise the awareness of Afghan youths regarding the peace and stability in
Kunar province and reduce civilian militancy deployment in wars this concept note is submitted
to participate in the series of these efforts.

Background

Achievements

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Problem Statement
APDSO from its initial survey information found that 80 percent of the people in Kunar province (Eastern
Region) are either unaware of peace and stability efforts or are less educated about peace. Other data
show that the mass community has no access to peace education media at all. Therefore, young and
innocent people fall prey to the traps of extremists and become involved in the insurgents’ activities.

The fundamental sources for peace awareness are "Masjids" and radios and to less extent some public
and private institutions. Masjaid are considered the highly valuable and effective institutions among all.
Islamic scholars in remote areas mostly due to the fear of insurgents do not take peace matters for
discussions or preach what the extremists provide them.

Secondly, government schools, universities and other nongovernmental agencies such as private
universities and institutions are other important forms of peace education. These institutions due to the
strict and limited syllabus restrictions do not cover/have particular subjects for peace and stability.

Project Goal:
The strategic objective of the project is to raise the awareness of the Afghan Youth and Communities in
Kunar province on peace and stability and to enable the youth and the communities to contribute to the
socio-political development in Afghanistan.

goals to achieve a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future

Objective
 Empowering Afghan Youth and communities and building peaceful societies to achieve a more
prosperous and sustainable future in Kunar Province (Eastern Region).

Out puts and Outcomes

 To introduce innovative peace and stability programs that help turn the young away from the
deceptive call of violent militancy;
 To convert the youth as relief and resilience agents to the suffered communities
 values and objectives for advancing peace and security, human rights and development
 to help countries eradicate poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Rationale
APDSO has successfully completed the Energy Efficiency project in Khewa and Kama districts in
Nangrahar province. The results and outcomes obtained were satisfying the project objectives. AREA
recently dispatched a team of renewable energy experts to assess Pech Dara of Kunar province to
observe and collect data on energy resources, forests and woodlands, affected areas, deforestation and
its impact on environment. As AREA has long been working in the province, its staff are familiar with
geography of Kunar province and culture of the local people. By implementing this project, AREA will
construct a mechanism to familiarize households to energy efficient systems and transfer the required
skills to the target communities to reduce firewood consumption efficiently, reduce respiratory diseases
and protection against deforestation and soil degradation.

Methodology
XXXX has been working in Kunar province for several years in peace awareness, its impact on
communities. Based on the security situation and accessibility to target communities, the identified

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areas are divided into 2 categories secure and insecure areas. XXXX will access the secure areas with the
help of community liaison and their full support through running the community based peace awareness
program in their areas.

Selection of & providing training for promoters; development of promotional material

At the start of the project, launch events will be staged in respective target villages in order to present
the project and its objectives. On this occasion, active and highly regarded women who could support
the project as promoters are identified. As cooking and heating is the domain of women, it seemed
reasonable to work only with female staff in the energy efficiency field. All promoters undergo
comprehensive training and are made familiar with all aspects of the newly implemented energy-saving
technologies. The training is conducted centrally.

Another preparatory action under the project is the development of promotional and information
material in the form of booklets, manuals, posters and leaflets. Project partners can also use existing
formats from similar projects which require only a slight adaptation.

Installation of demonstration plants

As part of the awareness-raising campaign for innovative cooking and heating techniques,
demonstration models are installed in all target districts. Improved stoves and heat exchanger systems
are presented directly at promoters’ homes. Demonstration plants enable the society to examine the
functions, efficiency and production quality of the promoted technologies with its own eyes.
Demonstration models have proven to be an extremely efficient tool for the dissemination of innovative
energy-saving systems.

Awareness-raising campaign
Only several inhabitants of the target districts are aware of the real costs of their extremely inefficient
cooking and heating techniques. Previous AREA projects have demonstrated that households
continuously underestimate their fuel consumption. The most families are shocked when they calculate
how many resources they burn and to what extent this influences the environment and their income. An
awareness-raising campaign in all target villages can help the project indicate these relations clearly and
show the cost efficiency of energy-saving measures. The campaign is conducted in cooperation with
AREA project promoters, schools and local authorities.

Promotion and distribution of renewable energy technologies

This activity covers the entire duration of the project. Promoters promote the technologies to be
introduced under the project, supervise the quality of implementation. During the promotional and
information stage, they make individual home visits and advise the families on efficient measures for the
reduction of fuel costs. Each installation is documented and verified by the project team.

Providing training for local craftsmen

Qualified and interested craftsmen will be invited to participate in training sessions, where they will be
instructed on the production of innovative energy-saving systems. The training is conducted by master
craftsmen who have already gained experience with energy efficient technologies.

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