Youth Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities
My presentation on 9 March 2015, at a joint teleconference between Institute of Youth Studies at Tangaza University College, Kenya and the Institute of Family Studies at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland.
The purpose of the paper was to provoke some discussion among the students of both the institutions.
Preliminary Remarks
0.1. It could come as a surprise to some of my listeners that the speaker this afternoon is not an African. This is the advantage that scientific method offers us. A person from anywhere could scientifically look at a global or local phenomenon anywhere using the methodology of science. This said, having lived in two countries in the African continent for the past 23 years, and having travelled across the continent visiting at least 10 other countries, I dare also to integrate my own subjective observations to the scientific approach.
0.2. When ‘Africa’ is used in a generalised sense, most Africans become nervous. They remind us that the African continent covers an area three times as large as Europe, and is made up of 54 sovereign states, with a population over 1 billion. Secondly, the African continent is home to a variety of races, peoples (tribes), cultural traditions and religious backgrounds. Hence, talking about Africa needs a nuanced approach. However, from a socio-cultural and economic perspective often Sub-Saharan Africa (the countries to the south of the Sahara) is spoken of as a unit. Given their shared history of slave trade and colonialism, given their cultural commonalities that exist among the different ethnic groups, given their contemporary politico-economic history and collaboration, it is not out of tune to talk about Sub-Saharan Africa as a collective unit. This is what I adapt for this presentation.
0.3. As I have said earlier, I have travelled around the continent of Africa. And my focus is on the youth. During my walks around, particularly when I visit a new country, often I ask the young people, “How is life?” (If you ask them, “How are you?” The answer is always, “Fine.” However, “How is life?” elicits another set of answers). I bring to this presentation some of the answers that I have heard in the streets.
1. The challenges: Lack of Opportunities
I start on a negative note. This is what is often heard in the streets of African cities and towns, may be in the villages too: no money, no rain, no access to hospital, no good schools, no nothing! I vividly remember these words being uttered by a group of youth on the streets of Kigali, during my visit there in 2011. This exaggerated expression needs to be looked at in the light of some facts.
1.1. Youth Bulge:
Youth bulge refers to a demographic situation in which the children/youth population is higher than the adult population. This is true in most of the developing world. According to World Bank (2012), in Africa (both Sub-Saharan and North Africa), about 40% of the population is under 15, 50% under the age of 19, and nearly 70% is under 30. In a decade, Africa’s share of the population between 15 and 29 years of age alone may reach 28% of its population. This is about 7% more than the demographic distribution globally.
Contrast this with what is the European scenario. In 2007, the European Union counted around 96 million young people (20%) aged between 15 and 29 years. Actually Poland is one of the youthful nations in Europe with 24% aged between 15 and 29 years.
What is the implication of this? At the present on account of youth bulge in Africa, the dependency ratio is high. That is, people who are working are less than the people who are dependent on those who are working. This is one of the reasons for the lack of sufficient opportunities for the younger population in most of Africa.
1.2. Lack of educational and job opportunities
In the European Union, 15% of the population aged between 18 and 34 attended tertiary education in the academic year 2005-2006. In a country like Canada university entry rate was as high as 24% for those aged 18 to 24 in 2005-2006. In Africa, a continental average of entry to university is 7%. In some countries this could be as low as 3% of the age group. But this is on the increase.
However, it is not the university education itself that is going to improve the nations of Africa, but the quality of education. This remains a challenge. I come across young people such as my friend, Ruslan – intelligent and self-taught who find university education boring, not challenging enough, and undermining their intelligence. Hence, prefer to work and go to part-time courses at the university just to get a degree. The reverse is needed: the concept of part-time jobs for university students is practically non-existent in Africa.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 3 in 5 of the total unemployed are youth (ILO, 2006) and on average 72% of the youth population live with less than $2 a day – that is, they live below poverty-line. In other words, about 60% of the youth in Africa are unemployed. Compare that with general unemployment rate in a country like Greece, one of the worse affected countries in Europe by recession, which had a rate of 25.7% unemployment for the general population in 2014.
Some sociologists claim that the lack of opportunities for the youth could become the breeding ground for religious radicalisation and recruitment into terrorist organisations.
1.3. African youth are on the move
Youth globally are on the move. Youth-hood itself is a transitional stage. However, in the African continent, faced with the situation of lack of opportunities against the high youth population, African youth are on the move. Their restless energy is bursting. They move. Move from villages to towns, towns to cities, cities to abroad.
Of course, Europe is on the receiving end, as we have witnessed in the recent years. The number of illegal immigrants crossing into Europe was more than 100,000 a year, in 2013 and 2014. More than 70% of these could be from the African continent – most of whom would be young people! Does this call for a global action – at least for the good of the West? Could there be more investment on part of the West targeting rural Africa to keep the young population back at home by providing opportunities for them just where they are?
2. Opportunities
Africa is not just a continent of doom. What has been mentioned as the challenges could be viewed as opportunities. In addition, the strengths (internal positive points) of the youth population could be opportunities as well.
2.1. Youthful population: Labour Force
As pointed out as the youth bulge, with 200 million people aged between 15 and 24 (the youth bracket), Africa has the youngest population in the world. If the birth rate stabilises by, say 2025, the young people are going to be a work-force. By then, about 10 million young African youth will arrive each year on the labour market. Now this is could be an opportunity.
However, to harness the opportunity, African youth need to be creative. Youth need to be creative to generate jobs. Creativity should be part of the education. African youth are naturally talented in music, dance, sports, and other creative physically-oriented activities. Investments need to be sought in creating jobs in these sectors.
With increasing exposure to the rest of the world, African youth are being recognised as inventors. From those like William Kamkwamba, who in Malawi, aged 14, made a windmill on his own, to those like Evans Wandogo of Kenya, who, at the age of 19, invented the MwangaBora – a lamp that uses LED bulbs and consumes less power and offers more light, we have youth who are showing tremendous possibilities in Africa. They need the capital, they need exposure, they need mentoring, they need role-models.
With the right intervention young people of Africa can surprise us. I think of Sophie, who started a business of selling second-hand clothes with an initial capital of Ksh.5000 (50€). After one year of hard work and intelligent management, she has a turn-over of Ksh.5000 per week. Similarly, I think of Regina whom I met for the first time at a youth seminar 10 years ago. She was a school kid from a poor rural background. The other day, she came to greet me. She was driving a car. She made it big just selling kerosene. Today she runs a network of kerosene vendors.
2.2. The Civil Society and Participation
A few months back, when the president of Burkino Faso (in West Africa) wanted to unconstitutionally extend his term in office, the youth took to the streets. The president was ousted, and democracy was established at least temporarily. We have seen similar scenes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi, though without much success. However, what we are witnessing is increased participation of youth in civic life. Social media is playing an important role in this.
There is a growing evidence of internal volunteering. Young people are offering their voluntary service for the community around. I think of several individuals. I think of the voluntary group organised by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco here in Kenya. It is also well-known that youth occupy the largest space in the church in Africa – even in their participation in liturgy and church activities. Happily, there is also a movement to integrate the noisy celebration type of religion to the quiet and contemplative type. I am personally involved in many activities of the latter type. These are signs that Christianity is also taking deeper root.
I end here for want of time. I conclude by saying: we need to believe in the youth of Africa. Youth are not just the future, they are the future now.