“Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future” John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

How to get youth helping youth in Zimbabwe?

I will be the first to admit that this is an idea in its infancy. It is very conceptual, however, at the moment, I believe is what important is that this is a call for dialogue on the challenges that youths in Zimbabwe are facing. I am trying to encourage an attitude of sensitivity towards youths, and sense of responsibility regarding injustice and problems in our society. Although not responsible for the plight that many children our age are facing back home, I believe that we should all have a social conscience and help to address these problems in some way. This is important because the future of the country is in our hands collectively, as the youth of Zimbabwe, whether we are in America, Australia or Zimbabwe. Your thoughts and Ideas are welcome, and I implore you to help this idea come into fruition.

A large part of charity and humanitarian work consists of giving a small donation here and there. I truly believe that for us to make a significant impact, we need to be able and willing to give our time and our resources. I would like to start a youth run and youth focused humanitarian organization that would provide support to youths, in Zimbabwe, facing a number of different challenges. By working closely with the established non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), I believe we, as youth, can make a difference to our peers’ lives. A combination of monetary aid, educational opportunities and recreational activities will benefit all those involved. I have identified three broad focus points for aid these are Education, challenges relating to HIV/AIDS and those relating to victims of Abuse. By focusing on these three areas, I believe we can encompass the majority of the disadvantaged youth and provide help.

The increase in unemployment and the virtual implosion of the Zimbabwean economy has left many youths in an exceedingly precarious situation with their collective rights as children not fulfilled. The Convention on The Rights of the Child (November 1989) sets out these rights and they include protections in political, economic and social spheres. Children and youth are universally recognized as one of the most vulnerable demographics in all of today’s societies. In countries as impoverished as Zimbabwe, youth rights and needs get moved down the political agenda and are often left of it all together. With the government failing to provide necessary protection for youths, it falls to the NGO’s to fill this gap, and although these groups are valiant in their efforts, the tide of youths in need continues to rise. The aim is to improve on the standard of living of all Zimbabwean youth using other youth as the main resource for this. As a humanitarian organization, we aim to be unique in providing growth opportunities for all those involved, from the deprived youth whom are receiving help, to those more fortunate youth who are willing to give some of their time and resources.

Non-governmental organizations in Zimbabwe currently operate under dismal circumstances, with limited aid from international donors and an almost epidemic problem of children related rights abuses and increasing numbers of runaway youths. Understandable, many such institutions are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to function. However, it is not only that the Non-governmental organizations cannot cope with the increasing numbers. These groups are also commonly unable to identify problems and suitable solutions needed for the youths. We aim to work by following a model that provides the opportunity for youths to realize their full potential. As a young Zimbabwean, I would like to explore the problems faced by youths in my country and provided innovative and youth focused and, notably, youth run solutions to these issues.