In 2024, fresh from completing high school in South Sudan, Nyakangba Nelson Luka Poyo confronted a question that would reshape his future. He asked himself what kind of existence awaited a child born in Tambura in 2021, apart from violence, hostility, bloodshed, and life in a camp. The question moved him to tears, and in that moment he found his purpose.
His conclusion was that young people who are given chances to study, to communicate, and to speak freely can discover paths other than armed conflict. He named this vision "Peace Voice."
The need is stark. Young people are estimated to account for 70% of South Sudan's population, yet they remain without a voice, and many are drawn into fighting while still very young.
Through a Peace Journey program, Nyakangba learned about Laddership, the practice of becoming a "ladder" for others by offering support and opening opportunities that lift them upward. He now applies that lesson through Peace Voices to Vision, where he helps young people "develop a common understanding of how to live together peacefully. Everyone deserves peace."
His work carries a broader lesson for communities everywhere: when a generation is denied a voice, the cost is measured in conflict, and the remedy begins with listening, learning, and creating room for young people to speak.
