I’m a youth with a dream

By: Gil Harper, AAYMCA Executive Secretary

I’m a youth with a dream...

Let’s stand together

I’m a youth with a dream

So I will rise up, stand up and fight for my rights

So take me as a part of u

Don’t see me a subject

But a Citizen

And together we will rise

 

This catchy chorus, from the song, Subject to Citizen, marks a highly successful musical collaboration between African YMCA youth and popular Ghanaian musician, Chemphe.

 

“We are using the song as one way to share our messages about our Subject 2 Citizen (S2C) programme, which is about using our voice through different spaces and platforms to influence for changes that positively affects us,” said Harold Obeng-Yeboah, National Youth President from Ghana YMCA.

 

Chemphe, who worked with the 40 youth from 14 different countries, believes the central message of the song is that of self-definition, “The agenda of S2C is to empower youth and to impact them in ways that prevent them from being used by manipulative or greedy people in authority. The song speaks to other youth to encourage them to take action, but it also speaks to the older generation. Here the messages are about including youth, listening to us, working with us and standing together.”

 

A video diary of the song’s development and the youth’s participation in the song will appear on YouTube within the next two weeks. The final studio-recorded song with Chemphe and YMCA lead singers will occur in June and be released on YouTube.

 

“One of the highlights for me was that we as youth were involved in developing this song with Chemphe and crafting some of the key messages of the song. This is so important as it gave us the opportunity to share our views and ideas on what we could be saying through the song. Working with Chemphe was wonderful as he is so inspiring and really understands these youth issues so well. Another highlight was being in the recording studio as this was exciting and showed what we can do when someone like Chemphe gives us the space and opportunity,” explained Nigeria YMCA’s, Aisa Akapson.

 

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