PJ Cole

PJ is a Delegate Speaker for the 2015 Peace and Security Plenary Session. He is also the Executive Director of Lifeline Nehemiah Project in Sierra Leone, an organisation his late father founded to offer support to former child soldiers. 80% of the Senior Management Team of the organisation are former child soldiers. He grew up working with child soldiers and his family took in over 800 child soldiers and children affected by the conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia between 1996 and 2001. LNP runs four schools, a safe home for vulnerable children and a vocational training centre. They also work with farmers, running businesses and doing everything they can to bring economic and social restoration to Sierra Leone. In response to the Ebola crisis, PJ and his team opened an emergency response clinic. They partnered with Medair and Oxfam in order to complete and manage the clinic. The clinic treated over 270 patients, provided food, other necessities and counselling support to over 12,000 people quarantined in their homes, and provided lifesaving Ebola education to over 80,000 people. PJ is a winner of the Queen’s Young Leader Award, set up by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to mark her 60 years on the throne.