MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IsDB Funds WPDI Youth Peacemaker Network to Empower Youth, Promote Peace, Boost Sustainable Development in Northern Uganda

The Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) recently donated USD 1.9 million in to the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative’s (WPDI’s) Youth Peacemaker Network to support the creation of a “community learning center” in Karamoja, a region of Uganda that has experienced “decades of conflict, instability, poverty, and inconsistent climatology.” At the center, WPDI plans to educate 7,000 people in literacy, technology, arts, conflict resolution, environmental approaches, and entrepreneurship and other business skills. Other planned activities include to: (1) empower 28 youth leaders to work with 140 local youths to address conflict; and (2) to create and incubate youth-led and women-led social businesses.

Founded in 2012 by UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation Forest Whitaker, WPDI is a US-based nonprofit organization that focuses on transforming societies affected by violent conflict into safe and dynamic communities through the Youth Peacemaker Network, which is active in Mexico, South Africa, South Sudan and Uganda. It also operates a Domestic Harmonizer programme in the US. During 2018, WPDI brought in revenue totaling USD 2.3 million.

Founded in 1975, IsDB is a development finance institution that aims to foster the economic development and social progress of its 57 member countries as well as Muslim communities in non-member countries, in accordance with the principles of Islamic law. As of 2018, IsDB reported total assets of ID 22.1 billion (USD 30.1 billion) and total operating expenses of ID 160 million (USD 219 million).

By Anna Gravois, Research Associate

Sources and Additional Resources

IsDB press release
https://www.isdb.org/news/isdb-partners-with-wpdi-to-empower-karamoja-district-uganda

IsDB homepage
https://www.isdb.org

WPDI homepage
https://www.wpdi.org

WDPI financial profile
https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/whitaker-peace-and-development-initiative,454050957

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