CECI Saving lives now & future Project Community Empowerment for creative innovations (CECI) was formed to address the increasingly deteriorating relationship among refugees and with host communities characterized with ethnic divisions and violent conflicts, address the dire youth situation characterized with antisocial behaviours and practices and to respond to the need for resilience activities that increases livelihood. CECI was founded in late May, 2017 by a group of visionary South Sudan youths who were granted asylum  in Uganda due to the war in their native country, South Sudan. The organization first started as a peace advocacy youth group and later on registered as a CBO under Koboko District Local Government. Taking note of gender balance, the organization has at least embraced gender balance throughout its in and outdoor activities giving a 37% portion to women. To innovatively use recreational activities, education and other innovative approaches to address social problems and transform community-based conflicts into a culture of peace and non-violence; and facilitate youth engagement and empowerment at the grassroots level. CECI under this project will Build peace and improve social cohesion among refugees and with host communities, build skills to support development and peace, promote girl child education and early childhood development, Increase community knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDs care and prevention, Eradicate Gender Based Violence, Green the environment and foster creativity and innovation among youth in their respective fields of practice.

Community Empowerment for Creative Innovation (CECI) will promote social cohesion and strengthen community resilience amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis through music, weekly radio talk shows, formation of local #Conflict Response Team# and mobilization and capacity development of localauthorities and peace committees to identify and counter divisive messages, raise awareness and resolve conflicts among refugees and with host communities in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement. Local authorities such as RWCs, LCs, Peacebuilders #  women and men # from both the refugee and host community will be skilled, following COVID-19 guidelines, and strengthened to serve as local conflict responders alongside other agencies, and form a multiethnic #Conflict Response Team# composed of respected persons from both refugee andhost community, responding, documenting and reporting incidences of conflicts to concerned authorities for easy coordination and timely response. Strengthening the capacities of local authorities, peace committees and Conflict Response Team to effectively performtheir roles will not only increase social cohesion and community resilience amid COVID-19 but also boost efforts aimed at fighting the Coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, weekly radio talk shows emphasizing use of dialogues, peaceful means of conflict resolution, will be conducted to encourage peaceful coexistence, social cohesion and community resilience. Community influencers and/or Local actors trusted and listened to by both refugee and host communities will be identified and involved in talk shows as means to using their influence to discourage violence, call for peaceful means of conflict resolution, forgiveness and reconciliation, peace, love and harmony. Additionally, the CECI will engage with influential, Multiethnic South Sudanese Musicians in Uganda to compose and recorda Peace Song aimed at sensitizing refugee and host communities about the need to live in peace, love and harmony so as to collectivelyfight and win the battle against COVID19 pandemic. The song will be distributed for airplay to local radio stations in Uganda andalso uploaded on YouTube and other social media websites to reach a wider audience.