Challenges That Impede Youth Development In Africa

Young people under age 35 in Africa who constitute 70 percent of the continents population form part of a global generation of young people who are now the movers and shakers of our world today. An integral part of this huge number is the special group of young people called Generation who constitute 35 percent of Africa's population.

These are the young people born between the years 1980 and 2000 and their ages now stand between 15 and 35. These are the actual youth continent today, with the huge task and potential to drive the change and development we desire. They are also the fastest growing segment of today's work force. As we all, especially our leaders, institutions and businesses crave for their talents, ideas and energies to help accelerate growth , this needs, desires and attitudes of this vast generation cannot be ignored. However they are not being armed with the tools needed to give them the chance of building a sense of responsibility, dignity, self-worth, psychological and economic well being. 

They are only told they are future leaders without any proper framework, commitment and resources to develop to fulfil this purpose. Many youth policies and programmes only remain on paper without effective implementation. It is regrettable that the youth are used to achieve political scores and tagged with all sorts of negative connotations. As a people we are to focus on helping them (develop and harness) their positive traits. Young people will forever be the best generation with all the passion, energies, creativity, teamwork and all the competitive advantage to design, implement and transform our economies and societies. The issue of youth development needs urgent attention by all stakeholders because the continent is on the verge of loosing the confidence of entire generation. They are growing up with increasing level of low self-esteem, and skills nose dive. 

There's absolute lack of national pride and personal responsibility as their dreams and hopes are being shuttered and most importantly, they cannot boast of any strong national alues and legacies to help shape their future, Surprisingly, their counterparts in the developed world are leading great changes and innovations. Young people elsewhere are great entrepreneurs, designers, leaders, programmers, advocates and top professionals. They are behind most of the technological advancements going on in the world today. 

At least names like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram come to mind. The fact of the matter is, unlike the previous generations, young people in the world today do not have to wait till they grow up before they dream, try and create things. 

The youth have all it takes to do and achieve great things even in their early ages just like their counterparts in the developed worlds. Our leaders and the older generation must be bold enough to accept and change the things that do not work and allow our youth to become meaningful players in our developmental agenda. All stakeholders especially government, chiefs, schools, businesses, local and international organisations, civil society organisations, the media and the whole of Africa must come together, dialogue and recommit. The youth on the other hand must use the numerous positive traits and opportunities available to them to overcome all the barriers that stand between them and their dreams.