Introduction
The Afghanistan Youth Empowerment and Peace-building Organization (AYEPO) is an Afghan youth-led non-profit and non-governmental organization that promotes youth empowerment and peace-building. AYEPO empowers Afghan youth through capacity development programs in leadership, mediation, conflict resolution/ transformation and peace-building activities. AYEPO is committed to support the young generation by providing dynamic platforms and opportunities for them to develop the knowledge, skills and vision to become agents of change in their communities.
Mission
AYEPO as a Capacity-building and Peace-building organization, seeks to contribute to building generations of Afghan men and women who are trained to lead the processes aimed towards progressive social reform and sustainable peace in Afghanistan. The organization aims to support the growth of young Afghans to be self-aware, emotionally intelligent leaders, equipped with the tools and knowledge to birth and foster creative projects, initiatives and solutions to their community problems. AYEPO also seeks to work to engage the youth through trainings and activities to support a strategic peace-building approach and find the means to be a part of the overall peace-building process needed in Afghanistan.
Vision
AYEPO, an organization that seeks to bridge the skill gap in Afghanistan with the aim to facilitate community solutions and peace leadership through training programs, envisions a vibrant culture of learning that is fostered through its initiatives. AYEPO’s vision involves building a more inclusive, community-solution oriented Afghanistan where the youth take up the role of harmonising inter-community relationships, preventing violent extremism, preserving the social and cultural fabric while incorporating values that encourage practise of equality between genders besides learning to work on creative solutions as they take up leadership roles in society to foster change.
Values
AYEPO was born out of a special recognition by the founder of the need for women to provide a safe space for peace education and sensitive upbringing for young people. The origin story thus guides the most important value that the organization stands for: that of bringing more women into the capacity building process to push for more safe spaces at home. As an organization that is youth driven and that aims to support the youth, AYEPO stands for values of inclusivity, honesty, equality, respect for diverse identities, reconciliation and relationship building as an approach to creating the ground for change.