By: Abdimalik Odowa
Every year on August 12, the world commemorates International Youth Day. On this month, we celebrate ways youth lead as agents of change. We honour and remember our historical significance and that of our old generation of leaders in our communities as we amplify the current crop of young people who positively scale up the already achieved milestones.
A day like today, we recognise contributions of leaders like Farah Maalim who gave up so much of himself, airlifted hundreds of our youth abroad and expanded educational opportunities for our youths.
We honour the contributions of Adan Duale who raised millions of shillings in support of education and construction of Madrasas in Garissa Township.
We thank Hared Hassan Adan Lt Col (Rtd) for taking much-needed water to extremely drought-stricken communities.
We pay tribute and remember the late senator Yussuf Haji Mohamed, who rose up the ranks as a young administrator and later joined politics, leaving behind tangible legacy.
We honour the contributions of Aden Keynan, who shaped community engagements and took politics at the centre of environmental conservation.
We celebrate Hussein Ali and Habiba Elmoge, who bravely confronted myriads of challenges in conservation of giraffes on community grazing lands in Wajir County.
As these great leaders set a worthy example and a marat on pace in probity, there are many young people who follow—all too readily—in their footsteps.
They are often at the forefront of social and political change, advocating for causes such as social justice and climate change.
Humanitarian Mohamed Ibrahim Sugow and Abbas Ibrahim Khafow are representatives of generation of youths who defied all odds as they challenged election fraud in Lagdera.
County Assembly Member Yussuf Sheikh Adan of Kiliweri Ward in Mandera stood up and confronted the harsh realities of politics in Kenya that became irredeemably tribal. He took up leadership role to solve this challenges while others like Ifrah Arap and Bishar Hussein of Garissa county help their communities develop a strong entrepreneurial culture that pays heed to our inherent shortcomings.
Even as we overcome tribalism in our politics and businesses, my generation and those to come has alot to do to change cause and the underlying problems that lies inside us.
The author is a youth leader who comments on topical issues
