July 09, 2010 09:34 Age: 58 days
AAYMCA Executive Committee President, James Ekow Rhule, seeks to reinvigorate youth development work in Africa
By: Christine Davis, AAYMCA Communications Volunteer
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 cultivating youth leadership in Africa. It is ultimately Rhule’s absolute belief in the youth that drives his involvement with the YMCA and guides his future intentions as the Executive Committee President. As Rhule explains, “I believe that one neglects the youth at one’s own peril. The development of the youth is a survival issue. Anything short of that would amount to curtailing our future.”
Rhule has been a member of the Ghana YMCA since 1982 and, has amongst others, served as the National Youth President for the Ghana YMCA (1984-1991), the Western Zone Coordinator for the AAYMCAs (1995-2001), Chair of the AAYMCA Youth Committee (1998-2002) and most recently, Vice President of the AAYMCA Executive Committee (2006-2010).
With a Post-Graduate Diploma in Communications (1992) and a Master of Arts (1999) from the University of Ghana, Rhule comes from a strong background in communications, international affairs and public relations. Currently employed as the Head of Public Affairs for the Cocoa Processing Company in Ghana, Rhule intends to incorporate his unique understanding of communications and corporate profiling into the position of Executive Committee President of the AAYMCA. Rhule looks to the past AAYMCA communication successes of the Siyahamba and WebAlerts as areas which would further benefit from the facilitation and coordination of communications strategies that will project the Alliance as “the most authentic and result-orientated youth-focused Pan-African Christian body”. He perceives his new role as promoting the vision, mission and core values of the Africa YMCAs while stepping in as the spokesperson for the AAYMCA and its members at an international level. A core priority for Rhule, is the exploration of partnership opportunities between the Alliance and National Movements and viable corporate resource mobilisation strategies. In addition, Rhule intends to help “coordinate efforts to implement the decisions and recommendations made at the last OGM,” and “in consultation with members of the Executive Committee, monitor and evaluate technical and governance issues and ensure excellent relations with all stakeholders as well as national movements.”
Rhule presents his history within the youth movement as a good example for young people in Africa today. “My commitment to youth work is derived from the fact that my entry into the YMCA was through the youth sector. I joined the YMCA as a member of the Hi-Y, and grew in the YMCA as a youth leader at the national level, then Africa Alliance and the World Alliance levels. I was virtually involved in almost all the past recommendations on youth and youth development. I am probably the first President of the Alliance who has not been a President/Chairman of a National Movement. My exposure in the YMCA was through youth leadership, and this should be an inspiration to our young people.”
Rhule believes the experiences youth leaders gain through practice is vital for their proactive engagement in Africa’s development. “We should not be afraid to put the youth in leadership positions with the excuse that they will make mistakes. Mistakes are a necessary part of any learning process. Mistakes create opportunities for correction and the adoption of new strategies for achieving positive results.”
In fact, Rhule was struck by the youthfulness of the new Executive Committee leadership and their level of commitment to goal-orientated youth development. This he believes “fairly reflects all categories of our movement – youth, gender and zonal representation.”
Rhule’s ultimate goal for his tenure is to see a stronger and more financially viable Africa Alliance which is strengthen by active and “highly-resourced” national movements. He believes that the strength of the Alliance is determined by the strength of the national movements and primary Alliance strategy should be directed at improving national movements capacity and improving their overall quality of operation.
In this respect, developing the civic competence of youth with the “From Subject 2 Citizen” model is of primary importance. His intention in this regard is that Africa YMCAs become resource centres for continent-wide youth civic competence development and training that can be utilised by both governments and civil society organisations continent-wide.
Rhule looks to the future with hope but understands that great changes come not from faith alone but from the energy and dedication of the youth. Rhule says in this regard, “I strongly believe that the Renaissance of Africa will come about on the shoulders of hard working and educated youth who are confident and have strong belief in themselves and in Africa as a continent.”
