User:Achaleke Christian Leke

Achaleke is a Youth Development, civil society activist, university lecturer and a youth expert on peace building and counter violent extremism with 11 years of experience. He was born in 1990, in Fiango Kumba, Cameroon, a town renown for youth involvement in violence and violent extremist activities like; jungle justice, kidnapping, gangs, socio-cultural and religious conflicts, armed robbery, street fighting, just to name a few. Even though he was a victim of this violence, he succeeded in transforming himself from an agent of violence to an Ambassador of peace and change. His past experience has widened his scope and approach in identifying and developing possible solutions to the challenges of youth development and causes of violence, violent extremism and conflict in Cameroon and across the world. He is currently working on a project which is transforming young violent and violent extremist offenders in prisons in Cameroon into entrepreneurs, peace builders and job creators, in an attempt to provide them with an alternative to violence, prevent radicalisation and recidivism.

In 2018, he started an academic career as a lecturer for a Post Graduate program on peace, conflict and security studies at the University of Buea in Cameroon where he has introduced a module on youth and peacebuilding with a focus on UNSCR 2250. Achaleke currently serves as the National Coordinator of a youth-led civil society organisation in Cameroon; Local Youth Corner Cameroon and holds the office of Cameroon Youth Ambassador to the Commonwealth appointed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He equally serves as the Pan-Commonwealth (Global) Coordinator of the Commonwealth Peace Ambassadors Network(the largest youth peace-building network with over 500 organization from across the Commonwealth). He is a fellow of the International Visitors Leadership Programme(IVLP) organized by the US State Department.

He was recently awarded the Luxembourg Peace Prize 2018. Similarly,  he was named the most  Influential Young Person in Cameroon in 2016 and also named among 100 Most Influential Youths in Africa for two congestive years 2016 and 2017. In 2016 he was named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2016 and winner of the Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work 2016. Achaleke was Award the Chavening Scholarship by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2016

Achaleke Pose with Cameroon Minister Youth, Communication and External Relations after  a State Press Conference organised on his behalf With the most recent terrorist attacks, the rise in violent extremism and youth radicalization in Cameroon and the world,  Achaleke through his organisation and other affiliations is currently championing youth action for peacebuilding and preventing/countering violent Extremism. Thanks to his mastery and experience in peace and counter violent extremism, he consults with and provides intelligence information and strategies with government institutions and local and international development stakeholders on a collective and youth-based approaches to prevent and counter violence and violent extremism. He has equally published articles, developed training materials and visual aids to accompany youth capacity building and training to peace and P/CVE and sensitise a wider audience. In his nine years of service to young people and communities, he has empowered and reached out to over one million young people through face to face and media programmes both in Cameroon and abroad.

Watch Achaleke's Interview on BBC World News Focus on Africa in London

Achaleke meets with HM Queen Elizabeth II As part of his peace building strive, he has successfully incorporated community approaches, personal experience and transforming with victims and perpetrators of violence into his work. Mounting powerful advocacy at government and community level for more youth involvement in peace and CVE remains one of his successful strategies. His belief in an interdisciplinary approach in peace building while focusing on providing solutions to drivers and causes of violence and violent extremism is the key to his great impact. Using capacity building models, face to face/mass/ social media sensitisation, entrepreneurship development, advocacy, civic education, leadership and vocational skills to his team and him have worked with and impacted over one million young people. He remains passionate and inspired in working with youth violent offender and those vulnerable to radicalization and violence in building a powerful mass of peace ambassadors in Cameroon and the world at large.

Watch Achaleke's Reflection at the Westminster Abbey  in the presence of H. M Queen Elizabeth II

Achaleke’s team spirit, commitment and approach to identifying and networking with other local organisation across Cameroon and the world has been of great help in shaping youth development and peace building initiatives in Cameroon. His story and achievements as a trainer, project coordinator, mentor, coach, policy drafter and innovator in the domain of youth development, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and security are a great inspiration and surely steps on the way to a long journey to inspire young people across the world. He is fortunate to be part of the UNOY Youth Advocacy team and process for the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace. He has acquired wide experience as keynote speaker, facilitator, trainer, expert and policy development team of most national and international initiatives and platforms on youth development, peace building and countering violent Extremism.

With his recent groundbreaking initiatives on rehabilitation and reintegration in prisons in Cameroon, Achaleke in providing an alternative to violence and peacebuilding skills to young violent and violent extremist inmates in over 10 prisons across Cameroon.

In 2017 Achaleke was Lead Author of a youth-led publication; Youth Positive Practice Memoire on Rehabilitation and Reintegration in Cameroon. This publication presents evidence based research on CVE and rehabilitation in Cameroonian, present youth led policy recommendations and highlighted 20 youth peace building and rehabilitation of violent offenders projects in Cameroon.

Achaleke is currently consultant and expert on youth development, security , peace building and Counter Violent Extremism, working with several national and  international organisation, Embassies , and governments.

Achaleke Sensitising street children on radicalisation by violent extremist Achaleke is a holder an MSc in Conflict Security and Development from the University of Birmingham,UK. He equally holds a BA Degree in History and a Post Grad Diploma in History of International Relations.