Forget handouts; give youth space

Madam,

It¶s hardly news that the youth faces myriad and complex challenges. /ike most young people around the world, they¶re forced to contemplate their future on a warming planet that¶s in creasingly prone to climate disasters, while navigating growing global geo political uncertainty. But they face other challenges too. +igher education, for example, remains out of reach for many, and youth unemployment remains untenably high.

ASPIRATIONS

2ver the years there have been many attempts, ranging from handouts to high ly publicised initiatives that promised much but achieved little, to address those problems. :hile the intent behind those initiatives has mostly always been noble, they¶ve consistently failed to give the youth what they need most a platform to share their voice and the willingness to action their aspirations.

The youth have urgency and they have something to say. 2nly by ensuring that they are heard, perhaps more important ly, listened to, can we begin to address the challenges they face on a daily ba sis. Throughout history, we¶ve seen how young people making themselves heard can change societies, countries and even the world. In many cases, young people are still knocking down doors, hoping that someone with the power to effect change will hear their intelligent and insightful critiTues and contributions to our collective struggle for a better life.

CONCERNS

That shouldn¶t be the case. :e should be listening to young people as a matter of course. Their concerns, fears, and hopes are valid, and only by listening to them can we create a country fit for them to inherit. As such, the onus is on all sectors of society, ranging from busi ness to government and civil society, to provide the platforms for those voic es. It¶s a responsibility that we should be profoundly aware of.

Lorenzo Davids