Cameroonian youth peace advocate featured among 35 global leaders
Achaleke Christian Leke is among the 35 Chevening alumni who are making significant impact in their communities.
Achaleke Christian Leke
Achaleke, is a youth, peace and preventing violent extremism activist from Cameroon with 11 years of experience. Though growing up in violence and leaving it on hand in Fiango Kumba, Achaleke transformed into a peace builder using his experience of violence to design and implement initiatives which has empowered over 1 million young people. He had a weak educational background from primary school up till secondary school where he failed several exams and even repeated form 2. Nevertheless, this academic challenge did not scare him as he worked hard through secondary school and later studied at the University of Buea where he earned a BA in History. Though he did not find himself as a top student, his passion and dedication for community development and bringing innovation in building peace earned him a Chevening scholarship Award where he studied Conflict security and Development at the University of Birmingham in the UK.
Since 2007 Achaleke has made outstanding contribution as researcher and activist in the domain of peace, security and counter violent extremism both nationally and internationally which has earned him several expert roles for international and National institution including the Commonwealth secretariat, World Bank, United Nations, AU, Governments just to name a few. Similarly his work has led to his appointment to several roles including; Pan-Commonwealth Coordinator of the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network ( a network of over 1000 peace builders from across the Commonwealth); member of the UNOY Youth Advocacy team with to the UN Security Council for the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250; Cameroon Youth Ambassador to the Commonwealth, to name a few.
In his capacity as the National Coordinator of Local Youth Corner Cameroon, Achaleke launched one of his most innovative project “Creative Skills for Peace” which is transforming young violent offenders in 8 prisons in Cameroon into Prison-Preneurs in an effort to facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration while preventing them from radicalisation and re-offending. This project has transformed 300 prisoners into producers and job providers with financial empowerment and literacy, making them agents of peace and change.
In 2018 his contribution to peace building and counter violent extremism earned him the Luxembourg Peace Prize as Outstanding Youth Peace Maker. Similarly, in 2016 he was named the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year by the Commonwealth Secretariat and recognised by HM Queen Elizabeth II. That same year, he won the Commonwealth Award of Excellence in Development Work for the African Region and he was also named Most Influential Young Cameroonian. In 2016 and 2017 he featured twice on the list of 100 most Influential Young Africans.
Upon return from studies in the UK, Achaleke’s new academic portfolio and passion to impact young people with his expertise and knowledge he acquired facilitated his acquisition of a part time job as a university lecturer for an MA program on peace and conflict studies at the University of Buea in Cameroon.