We live in a generation where everyone wants to change. Change is the mission of the youth. They are full of new ideas for a better society.
Youths are taxpayers and debt payers at the same time. They pay debts which even were debited before their existence on the earth planet. They are the majority voters with minimal representation in parliament, councils and informal business ownership. Still, they are the catalyst for change! They are the engine for change in politics, economy, social, governance, peace and security.
With all these obstacles, there is still a big hope; the role of the youth in any society is a specific hope and a basic step for transforming society. Over history, world transformations have been brought into being by the youth themselves.
Youth must struggle through the few available opportunities to show they can do by taking part in the budgetary system to make sure that the planned budget meets their demand and to stay updated ongoing activities.
Against this backdrop, as Africa celebrates its day under the theme, “Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development”, the UN Secretary-General still reiterates that: “Empowering youth is essential for sustainable economic growth and sustainable management of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; the clear challenge for many countries now is to pay just as much attention to sustainable political progress.”
The only way this can be achieved is by formulating policies that must in a way reflect youth’s demands and interests.
Youth have to make sure they involve themselves in policy-making platforms for their views to be heard and included. They have to follow up and make sure implementation takes place in accordance with the budget. If youths’ demands are given considerable attention, they will in any way bring about desired socio-political transformation.
Self-reliance is vital for positive transformation. Doing things in our style, wish, way and in our own abilities, without any external forces will direct us to better transformation.
“The most important is to change the mindset of the youth. For youth empowerment, we do not a political solution but rather a change of mindset.”
Youth’s role is to build a better and very good infrastructure for their business and society at large. Therefore the motivation to work hand in hand is important.
Today, we are faced with the credit crunch; this is a great opportunity for Kenyan youths. At times like these, this is the blessing for Kenya
The youth should need to be informed that catastrophes facing them must be turned into a great opportunity. When Kenya and the world at large are facing HIV/AIDS pandemic, it should be turned into a blessing that all Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers (VCTs) must be set in a bigger area where youth can meet to learn and acquire new skills instead of simply testing to maximize fear over their lifespan.
Economic policies should go in accordance with youth’s abilities aiming at helping them to do something, somewhere. Small petty traders are to be guided instead of being banned. Effective uses of our resources especially time resource is fundamental for transformation.
It is said that education is a key that unlocks life, as prayer unlocks the kingdom of heaven. Everything we do, we know and we talk, we were taught in different forms. It is an important role of the youths to acquire, preserve, use and disseminate education as the source raising the educated society.
With the efforts of the youth, we shall end the system of producing scholars who study for passing exams, who seeks for leakages and fakes certificate plus ready to offer a bribe. Talents must be emphasized and developed while self-awareness education shall be available to fellow youth. For the educated few, will have to disseminate what they know to uneducated ones.
Urban youth has the role of teaching what they know to the village ones and the villagers as well. The learning of experiences should be two-way traffic. Instead of reading ideas in the books, new ideas must be developed. Reading and questioning must be advanced for more skills development for a more self-reliant generation, people who can produce themselves instead of job seekers.
Youth have to establish and supervise public educations through formal and informal gatherings. Basic education on a good diet, best agricultural methods and morals can be transformed from one youth to the other through formal and informal gatherings, media, and families among others whereby this mode of education will enable more dissemination of knowledge by sharing what we have at lowered costs.
Youth ought to enforce education policies to meet the reality and their future; otherwise, formulation of alternative policies and insisting them can work to meet their needs.
