The team led by Director General Joe Itaki have been busy engaging the youth right across the country in building a network and coordination hub called District Youth Development Council at the subnational and sporting activities and life skill training to empower the young men and women with the local support based in each locality.
The DYDC concept has been gaining traction since its inception and is a flagship programme of NYDA that is bringing together the government, community based organisations, faith based organisations, business houses and every stakeholders in the districts that share the common precept that the youth is the country’s future and therefore is a development agenda.
Director General Itakai is passionate in embarking youth empowerment through partnership and collaborative efforts with all stakeholders in the communities across the country and merge that into the Marape-Rosso government agenda of leaving no child behind.
Itaki sees young people are the greatest agents of change in our country .
To be young is definitely one of the most beautiful times in a person’s life. “They are full of energy, dreams and have so many aspirations. But there are many challenges too,” said Itaki.
We live in a busy world, many things have changed, including views and expectations. Some adults think that today’s youth are a generation addicted to technology, that do not want to work and only focus on having fun. These stereotypes seem to be deeply rooted in some communities.
Mr. Itaki believes that the challenge of young people starts here. To show to the society their values and potential. To continue with more concrete challenges; the need for quality education, life skill training, employment opportunities and integration in society.
But challenges are only one side of the coin. The other side represents hopes and aspirations for a better life, for a more emancipated society and more peaceful communities.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s quote “We can not always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future” is what inspires Itaki.
He said, “how meaningful! Youth play an important role in the development of a country and society. If I would describe young people in three words, they would be: power, change and hope.”
Active participation of young people is very important to strengthen democracy. They need to be included in creative and innovative activities, in decision making and must have more opportunities to speak up in our communities, schools and families, because our voices always need to be heard.
“Today’s youth will be the leaders of tomorrow and I really hope that we will be a generation of positive leaders who will work towards more peaceful communities and fair decision making, remarked DG Itaki last month when conducting life skills training for young women in Abau district. He said, “It was an honour to conduct training to all our women in Kupiano. They learnt to sew apron, tote bags, chair cover, pillow cases, and drawstring bags.”
