It was a couple of years ago, that I had been invited to attend a Rafael M. Salas lecture at the U.N. and several years later, another one came. (Btw, Rafael Salas was the former executive secretary of Marcos during the latter’s first term as president of the Philippines. Salas then moved to New York before Martial Law was declared. He then established, organized and became its first executive director for the United Nations Population Fund that assists in a better quality of life for women and children in a global sphere. Every year, a lecture is done in honor of him)
The previous lecture I attended was about the conditions of women in third world countries especially in Africa (I forgot the speaker’s name) , and this time, it was about “empowering the youth” given by H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
As I listen to him speak about it, my mind wanders about my own country and how the youth have been exploited and abused. And am talking about the proliferation of drugs and criminality, which the elected president has vowed to minimize if not eradicate within 6 months, as these are the causes of many of the youth’s decline.
And instead of ranting about the negativity and the decline of moral adversities, it is best that we find solutions to bolster their images. I like what the speaker said on how the youth could be empowered and that the major extent of its solution lies on economics.
One key element is employment. Kikwete said that out of the 1 Billion youth in the world, 74 Million of them could not find jobs. And in order for jobs to be created, investments are needed. And in order make way for these investments there must be ample skills needed to generate the industry it wants to propagate, thus the needed education is another aspect.
Since education is important to gain such skills, many youth especially those in third world countries, find it difficult since they have to help in earning a living for their families in order to survive. And those that can attend school , sometimes have too many absentee teachers. Morevoer there are schools that are geographically challenging for many student to attend thus discouraging them to even try.
And speaking about education, one cannot learn unless the stomach is full, thus nutrition should be then addressed as well.
All these activities are interrelated and synchronicity should be orchestrated rightly so, to be able to come up with the ideal system of empowering the youth.
But there is one thing that adults fail to consider when finding solutions for the problems of youth. And that is, to include them in decision making. It is high time we stop talking and start listening to them. After all, they are our future, and it is change they want---it should be change they shall get.
the cocktail reception after the lecture....the appetizers were so yummy.
