July 09, 2010 09:37 Age: 58 days
S2C now a reality
By: David Ngosa, S2C Ambassador, Zambia YMCA
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 lot of work in our different countries since our first training in Ethiopia last October.
Reports given by the different national movements represented in Accra indicated that all the YMCAs in Africa adopted the S2C concept. My heart is rejoicing and is filled with passion and commitment to contribute to the development of the youth in Africa.
Our achievements in Accra were immense. A key moment was when we put a resolution to the Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) that the Africa Alliance (AAYMCA) and hence all African YMCAs formally adopt S2C as the blueprint for developing and empowering the young people both in the movement and through our programmes. The other main resolution put forward was that the representation of young people at all initiatives of the AAYMCA be drawn from the network of S2C ambassadors from 2013. These two resolutions will be put to the newly elected Executive Committee, the highest policymaker at AAYMCA level, for final approval.
The song we did with famous Ghanaian musician, Chemphe, was great. Not only did we put it on YouTube as a video but we also did a studio audio version – see http://www.youtube.com/user/4rmsubject2citizen. Chemphe has taken it one step further and done a professional song version which he will release in due course. Through this, we have used the creativity of our youth to reach out to both youth and the adults with our S2C message in a clear, simple and catchy way.
While at the youth training in Accra, I thought about what a limitless God we serve and that we need to think on a ‘God scale’. The training and support that we as S2C Ambassadors have had so far is forcing us to revolutionise our thinking patterns. We have decided not to be subjects and to work to transform other youth to become citizens as we are doing ourselves. We also realise that people may not tell us that we are special and worthy. But we will tell that to ourselves.
Every day I talk about S2C and people ask me, “What animal is this S2C you talk about, David?” This means to me that we are already creating an impact and I believe this is happening everywhere. We do have the mandate to do the right thing and move the African continent to another level. Now this needs resources. We already have the energy and commitment and are on a programme for skills development. If we really believe in what we are doing and what has been invested in us, it is up to us as youth to begin to mobilise resources. For me, this was another highlight as the youth, ourselves, made a commitment to fundraising and we have already begun to put a strategy in place.
One of the most important and invigorating things in life is to find a dream worth chasing. Pursuit changes everything. It captivates your heart, increases your momentum, unleashes focus, and brings astonishing results. I have found my dream in S2C which is becoming reality, and as I live this dream, I will find it evolving or find a bigger one within the context of youth civic empowerment and chase that.
