The Wound Behind the War: Victor Ochen on Trauma, Power, and What Peace Really Means

The Wound Behind the War: Victor Ochen on Trauma, Power, and What Peace Really MeansIn this episode of Lead Me On, Alexandra Lopoukhine sits down with Victor Ochen, peace activist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and founder of the African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET), for a conversation that reframes what leadership, peace, and healing actually mean.Victor grew up in a refugee camp in Northern Uganda for 21 years, living through the reality of conflict firsthand. That experience didn't break him. It built him into one of the most compelling thinkers on peace and leadership today.In this episode, Victor shares a perspective on leadership and peace that challenges everything we think we know. He draws a sharp line between how international institutions define peace and what communities devastated by conflict actually need: food, shelter, education, economic security, and the chance at a dignified life.He also makes a case that's hard to shake: that unresolved trauma sits at the heart of global conflict, not just in survivors, but in the leaders who start wars. And that until we address it, history will keep repeating.Victor brings warmth, humour, and hard-won wisdom to every stage he walks onto, from village meetings to conversations with presidents. This one will stay with you.About Victor OchenVictor Ochen is the founder and Executive Director of the African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET) in Uganda. In 2015, he became the first Ugandan and the youngest African to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. His work spans war survivor support, youth leadership, and community healing across Uganda and beyond.🔗 Learn more about AYINET: africanyouthinitiative.netAbout Lead Me OnLead Me On is a people's leadership podcast built on one belief: that empathy, justice, and kindness aren't alternatives to leadership. They are leadership.In every episode, curated conversations with nonprofit directors, changemakers, entrepreneurs, and community organisers prove that leading with humanity creates stronger teams, more resilient communities, and better outcomes for everyone. This isn't theory. It's practice. Subscribe to LEAD ME ON, your reminder that hope isn't naive, it's necessary. Get full access to Lead Me On: A People's Leadership Podcast at leadmeon.substack.com/subscribe