In my view, there are two parties to blame, the curriculum developers for not being sufficiently interested in civic education, and the youth for not realising that they are responsible for their own destiny. However, apportioning blame is not going to solve the problem. What is needed is a way to get the youth to participate or at the very minimum develop an avenue for making sure that their voice is heard. In my view there a many ways in which this can be achieved. I have provided examples below.
- through political party youth wings
- through youth business chambers or business groupings
- college and universities alumni societies
- church youth groups
- professional societies
I know that I have painted a bleak picture, however, I have also demonstrated how easy it would be create a credible society that had a strong youth component. If I were to start such a society I would aim for the resurrection of the NUL Alumni Society, it would allow the youth to participate effectively and would not necessarily disenfranchise me from participating, its a forum that can be easily transition to a trusted convener on any issue. It would allow the youth's voice to be heard and that voice would have the benefit of the counsel of age.
I would give up my anonymity in a flash to participate in the renaissance of the NUL Alumni Society. I am ready to listen and engage effectively, I am old enough to have made a few friends in the right places and have the clout required to kick a few doors. I can make noise, someone will listen. A former boss once said that in assessing any situation figure out whether you are in control or want to be, whether you can influence the outcome, whether you need to lend support or simply get out of the way. I don't want control I only wish to lend support where I can.
2 comments:
Youth trying to raise their voice in Lesotho is like chasing a wild goose, Our leaders must take responsibility for bringing to reality a coherent and effective
strategy that will empower young people and place them at the driving seat of their own development and empowerment. Those who still believe they can act as
custodians of youth empowerment because they believe they understand youth aspirations and needs better than young people themselves must know that the jig is up and it is time they went home. The message Lesotho youth need to send is that institutions like the Ministy of Sports,Youth and Gender Equality has reached its
sell-by date, and these must be replaced by an effective and robust
institutional mechanism that is better capacitated to drive youth empowerment in a tangible and sustainable manner that propels young people towards the centre
of our country’s national development. At some point, Comrade Sofonia Shale was an appointee in the upper house of the National Parliament, my understanding was that he was to advise the government and the responsible youth minister on issues pertaining to the youth, It was therefore our expectation and hope that Cabinet will proceed with speed to endorse and indeed roll out the implementation of his(Shale) strategies (like the Youth Parliament). We had all the confidence in our government
that their commitment to youth development went beyond mere lip service and they will demonstrate this by breathing life to this new strategy (youth parliament)that was sure to put the country's youth on a new development path, but that did not happen, in the nineties, comrade Bathobakae was shot cold-bloded by Major General Lekhanya, he was youth, but was never listened to, in 1998, the was a so called "youth policy" document that we just did not know where it came from and it was just imposed on us, with so much uncontrolable migration to the low lands, we are now starting to have a common goals with our highlands counterparts, the common goals we are now facing are to metion but a few HIV/AIDS unemployement and neopotism, Whatever inferences are conjured up and conspiracy theories manufactured by
those seeking to advance their own selfish agendas (our political leaders), Lesotho Youth should refuse to be blackmailed
or used as pawns in an intricate political game. the future of Lesotho belongs to the youth of
its own, and no one will attach labels on them because they chose to attend the LCD,ABC,BNP nor MFP rally. Ours is a common agenda, to advance the struggle against poverty and unemployment and therefore owe no one an apology. These theories are once again, blatant attempts by some among us to undermine the cohesion and unity of Basotho and its Youth, I wish we could not be misled by the Thabanes, Lekhanya's or Mosisilis' to advance their own agendas. Our elders are not ready to listen to the youth period.
not that they arent ready to listen bt they never learn to accept that is why this country isnt going anywher.
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