What first comes into your mind when you hear descriptions about youth? A lot has been labeled on this group of people: engaging in careless sex,
frivolous spenders or wanting that get-rich-quick life, drug addicts
unemployment and so on. But the question begs: Is that our identity as the youth? Are
they completely limited to the title and shenanigans of immorality and
hopelessness?
Do we as youth deserve this label? Is it completely true? Is
that all we are? Are we forever doomed to that title? Is there something we can
do to change this?
In a bid to answer these pressing questions I sought the
good old dictionary and this is the definition
Youth: young people considered as a group.
Youth: young people considered as a group.
Obviously I fall into this age group; I am not here to judge but to simply air my views and observations.
In my opinion I see youth as an opportune moment of
potential, talent, strength and vigor. Youth is a time when life’s most crucial
decisions are made: career, long time life plans and so on. To me young people
are brilliant gold mines waiting to be dug: the ideas they have, the creativity
and enthusiasm for life: great tools to build any nation. This is especially
so for us tech savvy people (if you are reading this you are too) We have tons
and tons of information online, we are connected with each other all over the
world = able to see and be inspired by the great innovations going on elsewhere. When we look around especially if you live in
Africa, there is so much we can innovate/create/ provide service as youth to
better ourselves and the economy.
I believe anyone who lives in Africa especially in this
digital era is capable of bringing great change to this continent. I look around me and I always see potential,
job opportunities, innovation opportunities.
I do A LOT of research online I have a knack of knowing
things. I look at other continents and see people as old as I am creating the Tumblrs etc ; my question is, what stops us from innovating? We are equally intelligent
and capable and I dare say have even more opportunities to invent and create
things here.
To me the label placed on the youth is just a label, there
are some facts that are true but in the end, it is just a label. This label does
not stop you or me from being amazingly awesome in our respective fields.
Let us not live in this mediocrity just because it is the
the status quo it does not completely mean that is what we should adhere to.