IT IS THE DUTY OF LEADERS TO DRAW OUT THE POTENTIAL OF THE YOUTHS

 Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. The youths hold a lot of potential. No country can develop when its youths have latent potential. Over 70% o Ugandans are below the age of 30 years. The youths can become a curse or blessing depending on the way they are nurtured. Without awareness of their dominant potential, many youths waste their lives away. This is regardless of level of education. The fact that the youthful age is characterized by risk taking a number of youths end up using their energy in wrong ventures. It is common to find able bodied youths taking alcohol in the morning. It is common to find youths discussing politics and football during times of working. 

The key issue to ask is, are Uganda's youths doing enough to overcome the unemployment dilemma? Statistics show that Uganda's universities produce over 400,000 graduates per year. The question is who absorbs all the other graduates. On the news I once saw a clip of medical professionals who were appealing to government to help them secure jobs abroad. The question is if medical students can fail to get jobs then what about other courses. Today we have graduates who have failed to get formal jobs and are boda boda riders. This shows that the academic transcript is no longer adequate to secure a graduate a decent job. Today it is common to lure youths into crime simply because a number of them are idle. It is said that an idle mind is a devil's workshop. Today so many young girls are getting pregnant simply because they focus on their present circumstances. The question is who is going to change the destiny of these youths? The youths carry a lot of potential but who is going to draw it out? 

Most the presidents of African countries came from ordinary families but because of the mentorship that they received they have served their countries. This is an indicator that a home is the nursery bed for leadership. It is very unfortunate that many youths have given their power away waiting for official positions to make a difference. Others wait for handouts instead of working hard to make a positive difference in their communities. The what is in i for me mentality had worsened a dependency mindset and a high level of selfishness among the youths. The high level of competition among the youths has made many miss enormous opportunities.

The youths need to be reminded that at all times their leadership potential can be drawn out. No amount of challenges should ever make them give up on their dreams. If Mark Zuckerberg became a billionaire at a young age of 26years after forming Face Book what steps an African youth from dreaming big? In a nation that is branded as the pearl of Africa, why should youths become a curse rather than a blessing? Why is it that it no longer makes news for a student to graduate from university yet they pay a lot of money.

We need a paradigm shift so that the youths no longer see themselves as victims but rather as agents of positive transformation.

HOW TO MENTOR THE POTENTIAL OF THE YOUTHS 

1.Mentorship should start at home

2.Youths should implement what they studied

3.Youths should nurture their soft skills

4. Mindset change is very important

5.Youths should have a curious mindset

6.Youths should develop a long term perspective to life

7. The youths need financial literacy training


Uganda's youths hold a lot of potential. Unfortunately many do not know how to draw it out. The leaders have a big role to play in ensuring that they assist the youths to become better leaders and the time is now.

For individual and corporate financial literacy training contact :

Coach Phillip Kiryowa

Personal Finance Coach( CPC)

Certified Master Trainer, Bank of Uganda 

Founder, Advanced Empowerment Link

0752615916

For Financial Freedom and Sustainable Enterprises

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