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Great Learning Expirience
By: (Serah Katusia)Tussi
Country: Kenya
Learning Experience
I attended the 4th Melaka international Youth Dialogue organized by World Assembly of Youth in Malaysia. I was the only Kenyan who attended the dialogue and among the very few Africans who were there.
The dialogues theme was, Youth Participation in decision-making processes, the focus of this dialogue was to empower youth to be active participants in decision-making process in issues that affect them, thus ensuring that they make informed decisions.
The dialogue was based on major issues affecting youth:
i) Individual knowledge and skills development for effective youth participation in decision-making processes
ii) Overcoming barriers to effective youth participation in decision-making processes at community level
iii) Enhancing institutional capacity of youth organizations for effective youth participation in decision-making processes
After a thorough discussion of these issues we came up with a declaration, I was elected the Chairperson of the draft committee, this was a very tough job and with very heavy responsibilities weighing on me.
I faced the following challenges as a member of the draft committee and as the chairperson of the committee:
• Discriminatory remarks by delegates who felt I was a black, an African and thus not able to lead
• Some older delegates felt I was too young and that I had no leadership experience thus unable to come up with a comprehensive declaration
• There was also a part of the delegates who felt the committee was made up of quite young and inexperienced persons and thus they formed their committee and came up with an opposing declaration, they worked so hard to put the declaration down and to show how much they could do better, it was bad. It also got worse for me coz one of the ladies was my friend, I just hoped we could keep the friendship even after all that, and we did. Thank God.
It was a really hard time for me but I’m glad I made it through, led my team into coming up with a great declaration that was passed with the majority vote even with the opposition. It was an achievement that I will always be happy and proud for. I learnt a lot from it and also gained lots of experience when it comes to active participation, we the youth have all the power in our hands if only we could use it, we can make a change in this world but first we have to be the change we want to see in the world.
Its upon the youth to go forth and take action from the grassroots to international levels, that is how I started and I know its effective.
The power lies within YOU to affect change. Go forth and use it!
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