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It aims to enhance our understanding of the role both formal and informal community-based groups and organizations play in facilitating relationships, conflict prevention and mitigation, promotion of natural resource management, and the establishment of lasting social cohesion – particularly in multi-ethnic, localized environments that impact some of the most vulnerable populations children, youth. [...] Specific Research Goals: 1) Improving our understanding of the drivers of conflict at the community, regional and national levels in case study states, particularly defining those drivers which "activate" community group response for affected children and youth; 2) Improving the definitions of social cohesion, peace and harmony, as well as their constituent components, by collecting and synthesizi. [...] In parallel, it is recognized that peace building, as an integrated approach, has a number of related components: one must understand the causes and dynamics of conflict and fragility; there should be inclusive political settlements and peace processes; there should be a strengthening of remaining, after conflict, community and state capacities; and, there should be the preservation and growth of. [...] Between December 2013 and March 2014, data was collected from community members resident in Moyen Chari, Mondoul and Longone Oriental regions to aid in the project goal of establishing a baseline of knowledge: of what community groups exist; their functions and abilities to establish a sense of belonging for community members; attitudes towards community groups’ efficacy and legitimacy; the scope. [...] The project has made use of a non-probability, purposeful or convenience sampling method, whereby the selection of respondents is conducted according to the thematic needs of the project, rather than according to interests of statistical representation.