I anticipated the world Cross country championships that took place in my country Kenya, in Mombasa, 24th March 2007. It came and we conquered.

How much do we need to prove that youth can run ahead of the challenges facing us? Let me congratulate Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Netherlands, for the medals won. Am sure you wonder why Netherlands, allow me, since Lorna Kiplagat is a born Kenyan. Hats off! Now that I could not make it to Mombasa, I was glued to my TV set. It was clear that youth runners from Kenya and Ethiopia were all ready to sweep it all. My wish would be to meet the Ethiopian youngster, Kenenisa Bekele. I met few incumbent Ethiopian youth in Nov, 2006, during the ‘Speak Africa’ workshop and they taught me to admire Bekele, whom they spoke highly about. I will live to long for Bekele’s handshake. BRAVO! To the Kenyan youthful team, who proved that Africa has potential resources. The depth of wanting talent from Tirunesh, Gelete, Meselech, Sule and Genzebe was encouraging.

Slow steps we might be making but when given a chance, SMART moves to glory, we win! BIG FIVE to the African runners

 

 

As from yesterday news, which was rather not shocking that:More than half of Kenyan girls (56%)lose their virginity by the age of 16,47% have had abortions,16% used toys,12% had lesbian ties in bording schools and this was due to peer pressure and 3% had group sex.!!!**##@@!!

The nation wide survey reported in national TV stations from yesterday and newspaper this morning,do not hesitate to share the concern that parents are unwilling to speak out about sex,as parents and religious leaders reacted with shock and disguse at the fresh revelation,I believe that leaders are missing out their role of communication.They know better than us and yet they meddle in blaming games and do not allocate time to nature the forbidden fruit.

The III Youth Employment Summit in Nairobi, Kenya (13^th to 16^thSept 06) brought together delegates from over 120 countries from Africa, Canada, USA, Australia, Pacific Regions, all to discuss the youth unemployment cases and present strategies on the best way to involve the youth more in specific Government to influence different policies especially on the micro small entrepreneurships.
The Kenya youth enterprise fund presentation announced its new youth ministry. Funds were established on the recognition that more youth enterprise will create jobs opportunities for the unemployed youth, with its objectives of to improve and increase financial services to youth enterprise, availing loan facilities through Equity Bank, enhance supply chains linkages, develop commercial market infrastructure and improve marketable of goods and services produced by the youth.

A tipp for today: take an object and add value to it, this will assist in designing your entrepreneurship culture. Identify a business opportunity, develop a business plan, find credit and other resources, Get going to market and manage your own ventures, without necessary having money, just interest and focus! since business should be programmed in someone’s mind and not necessarily papers.

The parting shot! “Not just a business idea, it is all about creating market and assessing the linkages”.

"We are living to see a new Africa,Its the dawn’n of a new day for Africa,where all nations of the continent come together,under one one banner called Africa…from East to West,we’r building a bridge,reconnecting for Africa and the link that build up this chain,will be holding forever..we’r sowing the seeds for the rebirth of Africa………." By Karidah

Someone to finish up this song,this was the best I could do,you can do better,

This is a dedication to the Speak Africa finalist:2006! (Addis)

Hey all,

It has been a year for some of us,we haven’t met or updated each other. A lot has happened since then that I would love to share in this network, hoping that an angel will touch your heart and comment on some youth related topics,as my blog’s name it: kisss it:Keep it short,stupid and simple.To avoid boredom, bring your juicy news and rumours too….how you spend your days and *censor** some activities,please…hee

Later

Jambo from Kenya,

Let me pass this on that....it was time to deliver,but did we deliver? and how much did we carry back home? and how are we going to use that to work with our leaders in our respective countries,to grace lives of young people and dont feel left out?

It was such an opportunity to be in Toronto,with a well organised youth pre- conference by the Toronto Youth Force where it prepared me to have skills in dealing with adult partners in my country,working together to strengthen the partnership and I saw some of the advocacy skills we learnt working at the committment desk from different global leaders who made committments to young people and who knows.....youth participation will double up again at the next stop in Mexico city for the XVII International AIDS Conference on 3rd-8th/August-2008.

I noticed that I was missing the youth pre-conference during the main conference,and the youth pavillion served the purpose of many young people as Adults visiting the place,it was an overwhelming conference,with some and none crosscutting issues at all and thanks to the youth pavillion and the youth daily orientation...wow,they were too early though!!The updates were lifesaving if you ask me.

Bye bye to Toronto with the tiresome North and South building levels..-which made me not to attend some sessions and I was not alone...that is for sure,but the few skills I earned I believe were rich and are already in my wayforward list to start the implementation...Time to Deliver is not a slogan.....was it to you?

we are all not perfect.....lets give credit where it deserved and open more doors for youth.

Miss you all.....

From Jacky Kowa
Kenya-Nairobi