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Africa Alliance of YMCAs

Reflections from the World Council

We have seen a real evolution in terms of growth of Africa unity during this World Council and this makes me so proud! The maturity of our leadership was exemplary – from the 7:00am meetings every day to the voting and the strategic input during sessions. We are speaking with a strong united voice which is the basis for us to engage more on issues. I was especially pleased with the new perspectives regarding resource mobilisation – we witnessed a change in African consciousness in terms of the need to participate and donate to the global fund, which ultimately benefits the YMCA worldwide, as well as us in particular. The begging attitude was not evident! And so, it was with great pride that I just found out of my election onto the World Alliance executive committee. We are ready to participate more fully and meaningfully my brothers and sisters.
Evelyn, Senegal

 

During the International Youth Forum, we spent a lot of time discussing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as the theme was: Striving for Global Citizenship for All: Youth and the Millennium Development Goals. Some of the big issues in Africa that came out during our discussions were poverty, hunger and infant mortality. In a session where we ranked them in respect to our YMCA region areas, I realised that we are not the only ones affected by the goals that had been set. Each area has their own very real problems they are grappling with. In doing our ranking, we saw education as the most critical area we need to work on as before you get to understand anything you need to be educated or at least have some level of education – right now we are talking about climate change being an issue and you can only really understand it and act on it if you are educated!
Harold, Ghana

 

When I was walking around the YMCA World Council, I saw name tags saying Uruguay and I just stopped in my tracks. The Uruguay delegates came up to me and they were so nice, saying “Hi, you are from Africa…” and I could not respond as I was still trying to get over the Ghana loss and our strong feelings around it as Africans. I stood back for a bit and did not get too close. Eventually, I said: “Come on guys, you kicked us out the World Cup and we were just about to make history!” We started joking and said ok, football is just a game. In a way, football actually brings us together, so we shouldn’t be mad if we win or lose. Although we are talking about globilisation and youth development in the sessions, with these guys football is now our bonding conversation over tea breaks and drinks in the evenings. Now I joke with them and say: “Hey, you guys had three goalkeepers!”, and we share a good laugh. We still not gonna agree on the field and about what happened, but we can laugh about it, as we are now brothers in youth development!
Collins, Kenya

 

We brought our S2C song to World Council... The use of music had so much impact in the way that S2C message was accepted by the global family. Wow! And the way people reacted whenever the song was sung... at the Youth Forum opening, the Gaia concert, the World Council session and informal concert at our base. Africa YMCA youth and Chemphe really rocked and we made our S2C global .... under the banner of theme: Striving for Global Citizenship for All!!

Boniface, Tanzania

 

About the World Council

The World Council of YMCAs meets every four years, each time hosted by a different National YMCA Movement. World Council meetings have therefore been held all over the world including in England, Germany, Mexico, and South Africa.

 

Bringing together around 1,000 YMCA delegates, World Council meetings, aside from the business sessions, are an opportunity for YMCAs to come together and discuss critical challenges within and outside the Movement, and to reflect and worship together on the YMCA’s mission.

 

The 2010 World Council is currently taking place in Hong Kong from 19-24 July 2010.

For the latest news from the 2010 World Council being held in Hong Kong click here

For more information contact Gil Harper (World Alliance of YMCAs);

Tel: +852 5167 9520 

Email: media(at)ymca.int

 

 

AAYMCA YouTube Page

The AAYMCA Subject 2 Citizen YouTube space hosts youth interviews, music videos and the studio recorded version of our S2C Campaign song. To access the AAYMCA YouTube page follow this link.

Annual Report 2009

Please click here to download our 2009 annual report

Latest news

Breaking News:

July 30, 2010 09:15

Men changing men

The system of male domination is no new thing in our world today, but the danger is that we as young men do not question it as we are born and socialised into it without being exposed to a masculinity...

[more]
July 30, 2010 08:57

Hanging with Chemphe in Hong Kong

 

You all know the cool, keeping-it-real Chemphe with the smooth voice and energetic stage presence. But I have discovered the king of Urban Life has some hidden talents.

 

Two months back I hooked ...

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July 30, 2010 08:28

New YMCA leadership focus on youth participation

 

Now is the time for young people to take a greater leadership role in global affairs and they must empower them with the skills to effectively operate in an increasingly globalised world.

 

This is...

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July 09, 2010 09:53

Editorial

 

Those of us at the Africa YMCA Partnership Summit and Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) were fascinated by the performance of the YMCA Tema Acapela group. This team of five young people harmonise beaut...

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July 09, 2010 09:48

International Perspective - Renewed partnership for the African Renaissance

 

Held from 4-6 May, the Partnership Summit drew together 120 participants, with a focus on renewing and strengthening relationships between Africa and international partners to ensure the vision and ...

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July 09, 2010 09:44

African Perspective - Renewed partnership for the African Renaissance

 

The Partnership Summit was a rare opportunity for introspection. Such was long overdue, following many years of cooperation in bilateral relationships, and also more recently in the GOP process(1). ...

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July 09, 2010 09:37

S2C now a reality

 

From Subject to Citizen (S2C) is now a reality and will stay with us. When we met in Accra, Ghana, on 2-3 May for our second phase of training as S2C Ambassadors, it was clear that we have done a lo...

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July 09, 2010 09:34

AAYMCA Executive Committee President, James Ekow Rhule, seeks to reinvigorate youth development work in Africa

 

Newly elected Executive Committee President of the Africa Alliance of YMCAs (AAYMCA), James Ekow Rhule, brings with him almost three-decades of experience in the YMCA and an enthusiastic passion for...

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July 09, 2010 09:29

“Let’s walk the talk and use our time” - Profile: Mutale Chanda, Youth Representative, AAYMCA Executive Committee

 

At the 2010 Ordinary General Meeting held in May in Accra, Ghana, Zambia YMCA’s self professed “enemy of procrastination”, Mutale Chanda was elected as the Youth Representative for the Africa Allian...

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July 09, 2010 09:17

Engaging and empowering Christian mission

 

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of t...

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