In an interview on the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation national television, Director of the Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) Uganda Milton Kambula passionately expressed what Ugandan youth need–an education that includes character development, communication skills, and creativity. These are the key skills for the workforce in the twenty-first century, he said, and are cultivated by the Global Peace Foundation’s Character and Creativity Initiative.

Mr. Kambula said the core goal of the Initiative is to transform African youth, molding them into moral and innovative leaders, by working through the roots of family and schools. “We are looking at how Africa can be united, but before it can be united we need the youth to have shared values, shared principles and shared inspirations for peace and prosperity to become self reliant, have that spirit to work with others,and  have partnerships and look beyond their nose.”

We need to “make sure we open leadership and entrepreneurship clubs where students in the evening share their dreams and ideas . . . supply products, even invent and . . . become social entrepreneurs in the community . . . our challenges can be opportunities for students.”

The Character and Creativity Initiative has also been implemented in schools in Kenya, Nigeria and Paraguay. In August 2013, the Ministry of Education in Kenya announced the results of a three-year study of CCI in six pilot schools in Kenya. The study by the independent Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis found that CCI not only improved academic performance and culture but also reduced social problems such as violence, bullying and substance abuse. CCI was also found to improve teachers’ practices, such as providing more support and ensuring high engagement with students. Like Kenya, Uganda is eager to expand the Character and Creativity Initiative to many more schools in the country.