The Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) members from Kenya and religious leaders held a two day workshop in Kenya to transform the increasing conflicts that has caused many schools to close.The workshop, which took place in Mombasa on the 5th and 6th of September, 2015 aimed at building capacity of members in the region towards countering violent extremism and mobilising ideas on ways of preventing children from being misused through radicalization. The participants included the youth, Muslim clerics and professionals.

During his speech, Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali elaborated that currently the rate at which youths from the coastal region are radicalized is alarming and there was need for the various stakeholders in the community to join hands and fight against it. He added that radicalization has been rampant due to problems young people face such as: extreme poverty and insufficient knowledge on certain religious matters; which drive the youth into violent groups. Drawing on a number of experiences from Africa, Dr. Mustafa showed how extremist groups lured young and poor children into joining their ranks and ended up as child soldiers.

The participants were educated on the initiatives which GNRC intends to execute in delivering peace and countering violent extremism.

GNRC is expanding the avenues of Peace Clubs where children and youth can gather and share their views on what needs to be done to address violence against them.