The future of Africa is in the hands of its youthful continent which should be assisted now in order to be in a position to lead development. More than 40 percent of Africa’s 1.2 billion people are young and Lagos based nonprofit organisation LEAP Africa (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability and Professionalism) believes this demographic arrangement should be seen as a strength and leveraged on.
LEAP Africa provides is a pioneering youth-focused leadership organisation which believes a lot should be invested in aiding the young ones to reach their full potential for the betterment of the continent. LEAP Africa is expected to host a Youth Day of Service in Johannesburg on Monday and Friday facilitated a conversation with stakeholders.
The organisation which was formed in 2002 and operates from Abuja, Nigeria said it has intervened to assist more than a million young people across the continent who have embarked on various projects such as social entrepreneurship and advocacy.
During Wednesday’s event, LEAP Africa brought together stakeholders including major funders and NGOs to share opportunities and challenges.
“Africa’s youth population is a huge opportunity, and one of the greatest potentials for achieving transformation and sustainable development on the continent. Africa’s youth have so much potential but face challenges on their path to a brighter future, said Director of Programmes at LEAP Africa Amabelle Nwakamwa.”
Nwakamwa said youth should be empowered to come up with solutions for challenges that face specific areas they live in instead of a blanket approach.
“Ultimately, YDOS goes beyond individual empowerment, it fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing across regions and countries, creating a vibrant network of young leaders united by a common purpose. This network serves as a platform for impactful community-driven projects, addressing specific local challenges and contributing directly to SDG achievement,” she said.
LEAP Africa is expected to host the fifth edition of its Youth Day of Service in Johannesburg on Monday where young people from civil society organisations and those that are social entrepreneurs are expected to participate.