Meet Faruku Kibaba – The founder of the Great Lakes Peace Center (GLPC).

Faruku Kibaba grew up in Kasese a district in the Rwenzori region of Uganda, where conflict and violence have reoccurred for a long period of time largely because of historic injustices, tribalism, corruption, and cultures seeking recognition.

Faruku has witnessed different acts of violence, child abuse, social injustices against women, children, and youth including inter tribble conflicts in his neighborhood due to the cross-board conflict caused by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and other refugee crises.

These experiences of hostility and injustice in his community led him to work with various initiatives to avert the crisis that has spanned for decades. These situations have affected youth since they are always at the frontline of all conflicts. As the old African adage goes, “The elders declare war and the Youth fight.”

This is worsened due to the high unemployment levels in the region. The Rotaract and Rotary Clubs of Kasese provided him an opportunity of being part of an international diplomatic path to solving local and national level conflicts and realization of peace and stability in his country Uganda.

Faruku has studied an MA in Peacebuilding and Reconciliation from Winchester University in 2020. During his study he wrote several literatures and commentary on the Gacaca Courts justice system in Rwanda, Reconciliation efforts in South Africa and finally his his thesis was on ‘Role of religion in Peacebuilding in the Rwenzori region of Uganda.