Prioritising the wellbeing our youth and our planet of

because we have not fulfilled this crucial duty to the children of our country and the world. The levels of violence, including domestic, criminal, as well as international and civil wars are neither constructive nor inspiring to the world’s youth. We have to recognise that unless the adult community amends its ways, we run the risk of leaving a legacy of even more violence. The wars in various parts of the world have caused injury, death, and displacement of thousands of young people, bringing to light the callousness of perpetrators. In our own country, the violence against children, the failures of school feeding programmes, and the levels of poverty, have serious consequences for children’s health, and they reflect poorly on our society and our government. We all have to do better to enhance the wellbeing and mental health of our youth.

We also have another evil of our own creation, namely the damage to our planet. There is no longer any doubt that we, as the custodians of the earth, have caused severe destruction, largely through poor planning, greed and refusal to heed the advice of scientists. Again, as adults, we are responsible, but there is much that can still be done to limit the destruction and the resulting climate change. We need to work together, actively engage the young voices, and make the urgently needed changes to our behaviour and our responses to the environment. Young people around the world are taking a stand, and there is much that we, as adults, can learn from them. After all, it is the world that they will inherit tomorrow, which we are destroying today.

Considering the challenges in our country and the world, especially in the health, educational and social contexts, we have to call on adults to make the necessary behaviour changes, to be better role models and nurturers to our children. Similarly, we call on our youth to seize every opportunity to develop wholesome lives and build a world of goodness and integrity, to secure a better future. Remember also that emotional and mental health problems can affect anyone, so if you are struggling to cope, do not hesitate to seek help from local hospitals, clinics, and health practitioners.