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CAR has faced recurrent cycles of conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power, prompting the rise of largely Christian anti-Balaka militias.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Batangafo, a town in the northwest once celebrated for its diversity, fear, mistrust, and displacement have now become daily realities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Amid this upheaval, Nina found her purpose: helping others rebuild their lives and restore a sense of hope.<\/p>\n Speaking to UN News<\/em> she noted that \u201cthe 2013 violence in CAR had a profound and lasting impact on my life, both personally and professionally.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLike many others in my home region of Batangafo and across the conflict-ridden country, my family and I became direct victims of the armed clashes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were forced to abandon our home, possessions, and stable life to seek refuge in neighbouring Cameroon to the west. These traumatic events galvanised my commitment to peacebuilding and to protecting the most vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.\u201d<\/p>\n Since returning to the country, Nina has founded an NGO called Londo E Lekere (ILEL) (Let us rise up and build), which is supported by the\u00a0UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). It leads initiatives focusing on peacebuilding, and empowering women\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n In a society fractured by religious and ethnic mistrust, fostering dialogue across generations and beliefs remains one of the greatest challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe ethnic and religious tensions, particularly between Muslims and Christians, have been heightened since 2013, creating deep mistrust and making genuine interreligious dialogue difficult,\u201d said Nina, adding that \u201ccompounding this are generational and gender disparities, which frequently lead to the marginalisation of young people and women in community decision-making.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n To address these divisions, ILEL creates inclusive forums for dialogue including radio programmes, awareness campaigns in schools. It also organises conferences and debates and promoting women as peace leaders.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a young woman working in a leadership role in what she described as a \u201cpatriarchal\u201d context, Nina has faced her share of resistance.<\/p>\n \u201cElders and traditional leaders sometimes question the authority of a young woman like me to lead initiatives. This manifests as initial resistance during inter-community awareness campaigns.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Rather than viewing her youth as a limitation, Nina considers it an advantage.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMy youth allows me to connect with vulnerable adolescents and young people, who are often excluded from dialogue, and to embody a dynamic female leadership that inspires post-2013 resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, she has also faced challenges directly linked to her gender.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cGender-based violence (GBV) has seen a dramatic increase since 2013, with a notable rise in rates between 2021 and 2022. This surge makes women like me primary targets and subjects us to stigmatisation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Education, for Nina, is not just a professional focus, it\u2019s a personal mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEducation empowers citizens, enabling dialogue that transcends ethnic, religious, and gender divisions, and ensures they understand their rights,\u201d she emphasised.\u00a0<\/p>\n Through ILEL, she has launched projects that distribute learning materials, and train teachers. The focus is on engaging parents, teachers, and local leaders to ensure each programme truly reflects community priorities.\u00a0<\/p>\n From establishing health centres to supporting local farmers and documenting victims\u2019 stories through a community blog, Nina\u2019s work continues to inspire across the CAR and beyond.<\/p>\n \u201cPeace, equality, and resilience,\u201d she stated, are the values that continue to inspire and sustain her commitment to this cause, recognizing that peace is not built in conference rooms, but is nurtured in classrooms, markets, and villages, \u201cby those who refuse to give up on hope.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n Nina Mireille Yankinon (third from left) participates in a community awareness campaign a village in Limpend\u00e9 prefecture in northwestern Central African Republic.<\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFrom displacement to determination<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Building bridges in a divided society<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Youth and gender: Turning barriers into strengths<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n Women and children are amongst the most vulnerable people in CAR.<\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\nEducation: A pathway for peace\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A vision for resilience\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n