Abstract This discourse sheds light on how Lutrics Edu, an innovative educational tool, serves as a catalyst for promoting youth empowerment and peacebuilding. youth can access educational content on peacebuilding, fostering positive engagement and productivity in peace efforts. The content spans various subjects, including ethnoreligious harmony, safety skills, and peacebuilding strategies. By equipping young people with the necessary skills and knowledge. Introduction The interplay between youth empowerment and peacebuilding is crucial to addressing the socio-political challenges that Plateau State faces. Youth empowerment is not only essential for personal growth but also central to the collective development of society. In a region marked by ethnic and religious tensions, unemployment, and political instability, empowering young people is vital for creating sustainable peace. This article explores how youth empowerment, facilitated through innovative platforms like Lutrics Edu, can contribute to peacebuilding and development in Plateau State. It also highlights the role of education, skills development, and socio-political inclusion in fostering ethnoreligious harmony and reducing conflict. Key Challenges Facing Youth Empowerment Youth empowerment in Plateau State faces several challenges that impede the realization of its full potential. Some of the key barriers include: 1.Lack of Skills: Many young people lack the necessary skills to engage in peacebuilding or secure gainful employment. This skill gap stems from limited access to education, especially in rural areas, and a lack of investment in vocational training. 2.Lack of Awareness: Many youth are unaware of opportunities for education, employment, or peacebuilding. The absence of proper guidance and mentorship further limits their ability to access these opportunities. 3.Social and Economic Barriers: Economic disparities, gender discrimination, and technological barriers significantly hinder youth development. In Plateau State, poverty and illiteracy are prevalent among young people, limiting their ability to access credit and other resources necessary for entrepreneurship and socio-political engagement. 4.Vulnerability to Extremism: The economic and social marginalization of youth makes them vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups. Addressing the root causes of youth radicalization requires a comprehensive approach that includes economic empowerment, education, and social inclusion. Entry Points for Youth Empowerment Effective youth empowerment strategies must focus on enabling young people to become active agents of change within their communities. Some strategic entry points for youth empowerment in peacebuilding include: Strengthening Youth Networks: Establishing national and regional youth peace networks allows young people to collaborate, share knowledge, and mobilize their communities for positive change. Gender Inclusion: Encouraging the participation of young women in peacebuilding ensures that peace efforts are inclusive and reflective of diverse perspectives. Addressing patriarchal attitudes and gender biases is crucial for empowering all segments of society. Economic Empowerment: Providing youth with alternative livelihoods, particularly in areas affected by conflict, helps to stabilize their economic prospects and reduces the risk of involvement in criminal activities. Community Engagement: Engaging youth in community recovery efforts, such as rebuilding social infrastructure, fosters a positive image of youth and strengthens their role in reintegration processes. Recommendations Achieving youth empowerment requires a concerted effort across multiple sectors. The following recommendations are essential for promoting youth empowerment and peacebuilding in Plateau State: 1.Invest in Youth Skills Development: There must be deliberate efforts to train and empower young people through vocational programs, entrepreneurial training, and leadership development. Economic empowerment through grants and contracts can provide youth with the resources needed to create sustainable livelihoods. 2.Leverage Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship offers a low-cost pathway to self-empowerment and economic independence. By encouraging youth to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, the state can foster innovation and create a more peaceful and stable environment for development. Conclusion Youth empowerment is a vital strategy for promoting sustainable peace and development in Plateau State. By equipping young people with the necessary skills, knowledge, and opportunities, they can play a central role in addressing the socio-political challenges that the region faces. Platforms like Lutrics Edu demonstrate the potential of technology to bridge the gap in education and provide rural youth with the tools needed for peacebuilding.

It all began along a vibrant street, blossoms everywhere, foliage scattered all around, the brisk frost felt so quiescent, so serene to my soul. How amazing the sky with spiraling cotton clouds, the grass with dew sparkling like diamonds. This divine art of nature tranquilized the mind and body of pedestrians. I was flabbergasted by the nature that I forgot to notice something. Something horrendous indeed. Standing across the street, under the umbrella of sunrays, were four kids with four bags but with “two different stories”. Two kids pale as they seemed, stood in quietude like a phantom, lost in their ocean of thoughts with cries of hopelessness coercing them to drown in abyss. With ceaseless search for hope in their eyes but seemed that destiny stabbed them in the back each time they combated to attain their dream. This never gave them the intrepidity to standup afresh. Their legs quivered, dreams faded and despair engulfed them, compressing them under a state of bewilderment. They knew not whether their future existed, while holding a rugged, patched bag gathering garbage from the surface which enveloped them. While the second story comprised not of rueful souls, bleeding hearts, sorrowful smiles, gloomy eyes and unforgettable tragedies but it accompanied gladsome smiles, blissful lives, faithful hearts and buoyant eyes. The two kids in this tale possessed school bags and books, wore uniform and steadily directed their way towards their school with ambition to strive and chase their aims and dreams. I wish to see the spark of hope in their eyes, in the eyes of the hopeless and grieved ones. I wish to replace garbage bags with school bags, trash with books and brooms with pencils. I wish to see grinning souls and auspicious smiles, instead of lachrymose eyes under the shadows of terror and agony. I wish to glorify each melancholic soul with a resolute vision to thrive and carve their destiny. And I wish them to love life and cherish it like the staunch, enthusiastic children. This example doesn't only represent those four kids but makes us realize how millions of innocent and naive souls kill their dreams, bury their futurity and abolish their destiny due to the lack of opportunities and chances bestowed upon them. This is what I hope to achieve in my lifetime; to make this a “single story” of hope, struggle and passion for fulfilling their dreams. To win the spark of aspiration and contentment in their eyes, and make them flourish their fate and predetermination. I hope to make them construct a promising future, a prosperous life, a determined generation and an ambitious world! I dream to put together the dispersed puzzle fragments into one intact piece of warm fuzziness and beatitude. And dream to make it a “ONE SIMILAR STORY” for each and every juvenile on this planet by healing their sundered futures with the only key to close this door of inequality and poverty, ‘education'.