By Bidemi Bayode

Tuesday, 21 April 2020

Contact: info@theyouthcafe.com

Thank you Mike. Hello there everyone, I bring you greetings from Lagos, Nigeria.

Firstly, I’d like to extend a note of appreciation to AEPI, the organizers of this webinar event. It means a whole lot to me and the organization that I represent - The Youth Cafe - to be a part of such an ingenious concept. 

I will be sharing more on the contributions of African Youths to the situation.

As is our core belief, at The Youth Cafe, that young people can transform the planet as actors in achievement of sustainable development. This is why we work to establish pathways to tackle the many specific issues facing the youth in our various communities. We target young men and women all around Africa, to foster community resilience, propose innovative solutions, drive social progress, enable youth empowerment and inspire political change. 

Young people are a tremendous and essential asset worth investing in, which is why it is very important not to overlook the influence of the youth during a global crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.    In Africa alone, young people number 845 million: at The Youth Cafe, we believe that this gives the world 845 million reasons to work with them. In increasing numbers, young people in Africa are proactively combating the spread of the virus and working to mitigate and address the pandemic’s impacts. 

For example, young people are already:

• Raising awareness and enhancing connections.

• Supporting others and saving lives.

• Safeguarding human rights.

• Addressing the economic and food security impact of the crisis.

There is, however, an increasing demand for more improved conditions which will see more youths joining the global movement to combat this pandemic and also coming out safe on the other side. Case in point, this involves preserving the rights that youths have to;

• Unlimited access to health insurance coverage.

• Peace, safety and security.

• Employment.

• Decision-making processes.

• Education.

• Food security and welfare.

None of these should be negotiable or dispensable; because the youths are no longer the leaders of tomorrow but of today.

The Youth Cafe has worked over the past month on a COVID-19 policy for youths calling on actors to:

• Partner safely and effectively with young people during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

• Recognize the value of young people’s own actions and their potential to advance the fight against the pandemic, and;

• Understand the specific impacts the pandemic has and will have on young people, ensuring that COVID-19 related responses uphold young people’s human rights and are inclusive of young people’s specific needs.

CALL-TO-ACTION

Young people around Africa are working together to protect themselves and their households from this pandemic, to support their communities, and to prevent the spread of the outbreak. 

This is a call-to-action to our fellow youths out there (Africa and beyond); we understand that the suddenness of this situation may have taken some of us aback and has probably made us even more vulnerable to vices and bad decisions. 

However, we implore you all to look at the bigger picture and ponder more on the future that we’ve envisioned rather than dwell on the present. We are unfazed by this obstacle on the path to our great future and we will give idleness and negativity no room in our minds.

This is the time for youths to take action! You can do many things to keep your community safe, including staying informed, fighting misinformation, doing your part to flatten the curve, and most importantly - letting your friends know what they can do, too.

• Abstain from spreading false and misleading information on social media.

• Do not resort to crime to make ends meet.

• Join the fight by volunteering in your immediate communities.

• Get engaged in constructive programs like free online educational courses. 

• Build your personality as well as your professional profile.

• Just as collectively as we fought back the Ebola virus by following health and safety directives, we should pay close attention to information and updates as issued by the health services on the Corona virus and we can beat it.

• In the face of increasing government corruption, we encourage organizations that are donating to African countries to make the extra effort to procure these materials and deliver them directly through independent community foundations so as to eliminate the Government ‘middleman factor’.

That which does not kill us only makes us stronger; and just as the great physicist, Marie Curie once said, "NOTHING IN LIFE IS TO BE FEARED, IT IS ONLY TO BE UNDERSTOOD. NOW IS THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND MORE, SO THAT WE MAY FEAR LESS."

From all of us at The Youth Cafe, we hope that you Stay Safe and Stay Strong.Thank you!

Contact: info@theyouthcafe.com