We are really pleased to be publishing our 2021 Annual Report today, and in doing so, sharing a comprehensive review of our work around the world with you, our wonderful friends and supporters.

This 2021 edition of our annual report tells the story of a year in which Fight for Peace responded with courage and resilience to the complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, of changes in funding, and of personal loss.

It also tells the story of continued delivery of high-quality services for young people at our Academies and some excellent outcomes with our Fight for Peace Alliance and Collectives partners across the UK and internationally.

Among the highlights of the year are:

• Receiving the prestigious Children and Young People Now Youth Justice Award for our Special Project work with young men impacted by violence and trauma
• Strengthening the work of Alliance partner organisations working in communities most affected by COVID-19, and our report on the way partners were proactively responding to the increased challenges faced by young people (such as poor mental health)

• Establishing a comprehensive neighbourhood violence prevention programme with consortium partners, Ambition Aspire Achieve, Exit Foundation, and Rights and Equalities in Newham (REIN), with the support of Newham Council, funded by the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit
• Providing a platform for the voices of young people in our Jamaica Collectives programme to challenge stigma and focus on their strengths and aspirations
• Supporting young creatives to play a full part in our communications, producing much of our video and photography content during the year

The report also shines a light on some very encouraging data captured by the Fight for Peace Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team.

This includes: 88% of young people surveyed at our London Academy rating our work as good or excellent; 85% of young people surveyed at our Rio Academy having greater motivation to reach their goals; 183 young people participating in alternative education programmes delivered by Fight for Peace Alliance partner organisations; and 1151 psycho-social support sessions being delivered to 269 participants via the UP Unity & Peace Collective in Jamaica.

Head of the London Academy Youth Council, Fahmida Sultana, reflected on her takeaways from the year:

“One of the most pleasant highlights for me would be seeing more young people joining Fight for Peace. Throughout the year, the number of new members has been increasing, and I’ve loved seeing how young people have built their confidence and grown throughout the whole journey from where they have started.”

And Jenny Oklikah, CEO of Fight for Peace, emphasised the importance of looking ahead with courage and optimism:

“The development of a new Global Strategy for the next three years with our sister and founder organisation, Luta pela Paz, underpins the importance of our strong partnership and heritage as a global organisation, and our ambition to rebuild and return to sustainable growth. We are developing innovative ways to strengthen our working practices, leadership, and services, which will sustain us into the future.”

She added her thanks, on behalf of the organisation, to everyone that makes Fight for Peace possible:

“I am deeply grateful to our friends and supporters, our Youth Councils, our members, and our Board, for your continued commitment, belief in, and contribution to, the incredible work we do. Special recognition and thanks goes to my colleagues in the Fight for Peace team for their inspirational commitment, wisdom and kindness.” 

The creation of the Fight for Peace annual report is always a giant team effort involving multiple parts of the organisation and so, as we invite you to read this year’s edition, we say a huge thank you also to everyone who contributed to putting it together.

Click here to read the Fight for Peace Annual Report in full.