\u201cWith a national median age of 18, Ethiopia\u2019s most valuable resource is her youth. This calls for the absolute need to create more platforms of youth empowerment, capacity development, and meaningful civic engagement. I disagree with the norm that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. I believe we are the leaders of NOW,\u201d Amref Youth Advisory Group (AYAG) representative Bitania Lulu, 26, declared at the close of Amref\u2019s co-creation workshop for USAID\u2019s Integrated Youth Activity (IYA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amref Health Africa Ethiopia brought together 19 young people (49% female), from all regions of the country, for a weeklong co-creation workshop in response to USAID\u2019s IYA opportunity. Using the visualization in participatory planning (VIPP) approach, the workshop placed youth at the center to guide and lead Amref and its partners\u2019 response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ibrahem Hasen, a 24-year-old participant from Jijiga, stated that some major challenges youth face today are unemployment and lack of youth engagement in development programs and policy formulation. He said, \u201cyouth today are not being valued and are voiceless in their community as well as in the political arena.\u201d As an outspoken youth, Ibrahem is keen on being a voice for young people, and working with decision makers to address these issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to our youth leaders, 22 participants from 14 youth-led and youth serving organizations and the private sector, as well as nine participants from Amref Health Africa and our international partners, International Youth Foundation, Arizona State University, and Johns Hopkins Center for Communications Program were also part of the workshop. Their role was primarily to actively listen to the youth, and support them to brainstorm innovative and targeted approaches to address youth advocacy and empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship and access to youth-friendly services, while taking into account regional variations and inclusion. Youth were encouraged to assert their agency, and to claim their seat at the table, as agents of their own change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe need the youth to be empowered and to change the country,\u201d said Misrak Makonnen. Country Director of Amref Health Africa Ethiopia. \u201cThe youth are our biggest asset. They are the agents of change we need in our country right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Twenty-eight-year-old Ayan Mohammed from Dire Dawa was among the talented youth in the co-creation workshop. She is passionate about health outcomes and is actively engaged in COVID-19 response work in her community. Ayan affirmed that her participation in the co-creation workshop gave her the space to assert her skills in \u201cpublic communication and facilitation with the help, encouragement and support of health system leaders, and partners working together for integrated response and intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n