Community Life

In early November 2007, Bienda ('Bob') Litambola was assaulted and killed on a street in Canning Town. In April, the same year, he had been part of a group of young people who had talked to me for a BBC London film about their fear of crime in Newham.

He was a role-model for other young teenagers in Newham, and proof that it is possible not to succumb to the downward spiral of a life of crime, however difficult the pressures.

Bob Litambola was the 24th teenager to be murdered in London this year.

It was a huge shock for me and the rest of the group to learn about his death. To watch him and the others in the report about the youth crime filmed in April, click on the video link above.

Helping young people

The teenagers were being interviewed because they were part of a scheme called Young People Affected by Crime (Y-Pac).

It  is a pioneering project in Newham that helps young offenders, at-risk teenagers and victims understand the consequences of crime and improve their self-esteem.

Shelly Khaled, who runs Y-Pac, said that some of the major causes of crime among young people are peer pressure and money.

If you have any comments about this article please email angela.saini@bbc.co.uk