The GENDA Empowerment Foundation, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, has unveiled the 2024 Africa Youth Conference (AYC) report and outlined its 2025 agenda at a press conference in Abuja. The event showcased resolutions and strategies addressing key challenges facing African youths while setting the stage for next year’s conference.
The Founder, David Nwokorie, emphasised the critical role of creativity in addressing unemployment and poverty. He highlighted the six resolutions from the 2024 AYC, which included the need for dialogue as a pathway to peace, promoting collaboration among youth organisations, and fostering innovation and creativity as tools for sustainable development. Nwokorie also announced the establishment of an African Youth Leadership Center focused on governance, peacebuilding, and policy development to train future leaders.
Genevieve Opara, the co-founder, reiterated the foundation’s commitment to tackling mental health challenges and addressing the root causes of youth disengagement. She stressed the importance of empowering young people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in combating drug abuse and promoting mental health awareness.
A GENDA Empowerment Foundation board member, Mrs Doris Uwaleme, emphasised the need for partnerships with government and private stakeholders to address youth-related issues. She affirmed the foundation’s determination to keep advancing its mission of creating opportunities and driving impactful solutions.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Africa Youth Conference, themed “We Are Stars: Thriving in a World of Limitless Opportunities,” is scheduled for July 2025. The event focuses on SDG 9: fostering industrialisation, inclusivity, and innovation as solutions to unemployment, hunger, and illiteracy. As part of its initiatives, the foundation will provide $20,000 grants to 20 beneficiaries, supporting youth-driven sustainable solutions across.
The 2024 report also underscored the urgency of addressing unemployment and hunger, particularly among young people, and the need for youth-driven collaborations with government agencies to actualise economic sustenance. The resolutions aim to strengthen youth engagement in dialogue, peacebuilding, and creative problem-solving.
GENDA Empowerment Foundation’s mission is to inspire and equip young people to thrive and ensure their place at the forefront of Africa’s sustainable development.
