YOUTH CALLED UPON TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY-GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY IN GHANA

“SERVE YOUR COUNTRY” --GHANAIAN YOUTH ADVISED TO BE OF SERVICE TO THE NATION.

Young people across the country have been called upon to make contributions to the nation's development through service. This call was made at Mankessim in the Central region at the week end during activities marking this year's Global Youth Service Day. Mr. Dag Akyeampong , a cultural and development consultant who made the call is an ex-Assembly-man of the Mfantseman district and is also a retired educationist. The programme was the culminating event of the year's Global Youth Service Day (GYSD 2009) in Ghana.

The Centre for Human Development & Social Change-Ghana, (CHDSCGhana) a development and human rights non-profit in Ghana hosted the major event at Mankessim and coordinated a nationwide activities for their youth clubs across the country. The GYSD 2009 was organised in collaboration with a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations in the country.

Global Youth Service Day, the largest youth service event in the world was held April 24-26,2009. Thousands of Ghanaian young people joined hands with millions of global youth and participated in the name of service. Over the past 21 years, Global Youth Service Day has brought together more than 40 million people in thousands of communities worldwide. During Global Youth Service Day, community service projects are executed to address the needs of local communities through service, and many young people are recognised for their contributions as community leaders.

Across the nation, the CHDSC's activities were organised by its youth clubs, the Sports, Performing Arts & Creative Education (SPACE). SPACE has chapters at Liberia Camp-Buduburam, Mankessim, Edubiase, Larteh,Obuasi, Sefwi Juabuso, Bekwai, Kwadaso, Kropo and Essereso. Youth leaders and organizers undertook clean up exercises, held forums on youth related and health issues, hosted sports events and had public discussions and information campaigns in support of young people focusing on youth issues and how they could be addressed. A major focus of the year's celebration was the practical action to further encourage the empowerment and participation of youth in the processes and decisions that affect their lives.

Speaking at Mankessim Methodist School Park where various sports activities were organised after a clean up campaign and education at the local market, Mr. Akyeampong commended the youth for their service to their community. He also lauded them for the relative peace in the Mfantseman community after a volatile general elections in Ghana. He charged the young people in school to take their studies seriously to enable them graduate, and to further their education or learn a trade for their own future.

Maama Rose Quena, the SPACE coordinator at the Liberia Camp,Buduburam, a refugee camp for Liberians in Ghana, appealed to the Ghana government and other International organization in Ghana to support NGOs that are willing to offer skill training programmes for the youth. She said, because there is no technical training or job preparation programmes in place at the camp, many young people have become social misfits and very dependent on relatives and the nation of Ghana. She said, programmes such as SPACE offers to the youth be funded and supported.

This year's GYSD activities in Ghana organised by the CHDSCGhana's Youth Clubs made tremendous impact on the young people and their communities. undefined

By: Sabin Youpele