Mayor Plato had been invited by the UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation to observe the work being done at the organisation. Read more below:

The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI) was founded seven years ago to promote peace and social upliftment within communities affected by conflict or violence. The WPDI also trains young people in conflict resolution and mentors them to be entrepreneurs in their communities.

An effective way to ensure that young people understand the importance of peace and negotiation is through being taught the necessary conflict resolution skills as a mediator. The programmes also equip young people with entrepreneurship skills and offers an alternative to joining gangs.

The City of Cape Town’s Business Hub opened nearly four months ago, and may be a valuable support resource to the entrepreneurs going through the WPDI programme which also offers a business boot camp course.

We appreciate the efforts by Mr Whitaker and his organisation to uplift vulnerable communities. The City of Cape Town welcomes any efforts by organisations to uplift the circumstances of communities to foster positive change and spread skills. The City will investigate possible ways of supporting the outcomes of the programmes through our own initiatives.

The WPDI is now operating in five countries including Sudan, Uganda, Mexico, United States and South Africa. It opened a few months ago in Athlone on the Cape Flats. There are currently 46 young people enrolled in this initiative. The aim is to see 360 teenagers, identified by community leaders, enrolled. Those who complete the training will go on to upskill other members of the community.

Source: City Of Cape Town