COTABATO CITY (September 22, 2022)—The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) held a partnership meeting with Mindanao State University (MSU)-Maguindanao, through its Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM), and the Federation of Mindanao State University Supreme Student Councils (FEMSUSSCO) on Thursday, Sept. 22 “to establish a clear and comprehensive collaboration” on BYC’s Positive Peace Project (3Peace).
BYC Commissioner Nasserudin Dunding, who represented the Commission’s En Banc, said the partnership with the academe is crucial in realizing the long-term vision of the project.
“Sa pag e-engage sa ating [former] young combatants, kailangan po namin ang tulong nung mga kasamahan namin sa academe, particularly sa pagsusulat nung narratives at policy papers na pwede po nating ma-harvest dito,” Commissioner Dunding added.
The 3Peace aims to produce former young combatants who are trained and capacitated in socio-economic aspects ensuring their positive reintegration to become productive members of society and translating their narratives into policy actions and development agenda.
MSU-Maguindanao’s IPDM Director Grant Warren Lu, along with MSU faculty member Prof. Alimodin Hassan, expressed his “sincere commitment” to the partnership.
“Kasama niyo po lagi’t lagi ang MSU-Maguindanao sa bawat endeavor ng BYC,” Director Lu said.
The project particularly aims to engage former youth combatants in various capacity-development trainings resulting in the creation of social enterprise cooperatives, which will be sustained through seed grants awarded to them.
Meanwhile, FEMSUSSCO President Suwaidi Ebrahim, who also seats as the President of MSU-Maguindanao Supreme Student Council (SSC), offers the support of the Federation in providing in-school youth volunteers who will help the BYC in fieldwork-related activities of the project.
BYC Development Management Officer Rodolfo Matucan, Jr. said the IPDM will serve as a technical advisory consultant throughout the project implementation.
All parties are set to sign a Memorandum and Understanding (MoU) on October 4 to formalize and define their detailed roles in the partnership. (BYC PR Unit/KAA)
