GHANA YMCA READY TO AID NATION'S YOUTH

By: Ryan Millward


The YMCA have launched their 8th annual ceremony as they gear toward helping improve and empower Ghana's youth over the coming years.


The message spread at the ceremony was that of optimism in overcoming the current challenges that face the youth of today, such as employment, violence, health and the lost of the young person's identity. Many speakers and groups present put forward their views and ideas in how the YMCA can best get the Ghanaian youth back on the road to empowerment and success.

The ceremony comes at a poignant time with the current troubles that litter cities in England as young people in the nation go out burning, rioting and looting shops with no cause or justification to do so. The troubles there highlight the issues that the YMCA are fighting against; to give the Ghanaian youth some identity and power, there will need to be a working relationship between what the YMCA provides and what young people are willing to do.

Harold Obeng-Yeboah, president of the organisation, highlighted the YMCA's aims. He said: "Since 2003 the National Youth Committee has focused on reaching the youth across the regions of Ghana." "Young people have incredible potential to contribute to national development and our policy is to empower this youth." President Obeng-Yeboah added: "We call on government now to ensure youth are given the chance to contribute to national development; and with the YMCA also, young people now have a real chance to make a difference to the economy."



Ceremony Attendees Including Chief of Abura Nana Kodwo Addae II


Harold Obeng-Yeboah's words will come as a big moral boost to young people in Ghana; the youth organisation is already providing healthcare, provisions, advice, support and even accommodation to people in the country. As the president mentioned, there will also need to be an enthusiasm and level of commitment to by young people for there to be real improvement. At the ceremony it was made known that the YMCA wish to see the youth getting involved; such acts include educating others, community services and voluntary work. It was made clear by a speaker present that: "The youth need to get involved more; they need to select positive roles for themselves and work hard as there is no shortcut to wealth."

Also present at the ceremony was Brian Cox, a leader of the organisation YCI who made known their pleasure in working with the Ghanaian organisation. The YCI share similar aims to YMCA in helping improve the youth of today by providing crucial services to help empower young people. Mr Cox told how: "the partnership between themselves and the YMCA has been crucial toward providing success for both organisations." The YCI spokesmen added: "Young people are an incredible force of change and that is what we want to see happen."

The ceremony also presented a performance of a youth dance group to reiterate the very people that the organisations are trying to aid. Sarah Manle Koajie also sang at the event as she thanked God in what was a religious all out for success.



Youth Group Performing At Ceremony

 In the end only hard work between government, organisations like the YMCA and most important of all, young people will see the such a change happen. For the good of the youth and the good of the nation, we will wait to see what the future holds.