Youth In Development ,Leveraging Internet and Social Media-The Proven Formula .

It was in December ,2006.I wrote my last semester exams, enthusiastic and expectant to jump into the industry and get a well paying job .I recall struggling to come up with a constructive work plan as I experienced what I would term a couple of interests sparkling , inviting me to ford the rivers of opportunities that were seemingly available. On one side of the coin,my mind was made up to search for employment and be employed by any institution that would give me an employment opportunity .On the other side of the coin my mind was strongly telling me to move on with my youth work. In both situations, closing my eyes, I could see my future in bright colors, opening my eyes only to see no promising situation.

I had been involved in youth work for a good number of years now and understood how frustrating it was yet challenging and promising. Considering my passion for the development of the youth and their transition into adulthood with a sustainable livelihood, I could not withstand the pressure into which my mind , heart and life was pushed .The big dream , my vision , my passion and my desire was set for fulfillment .
I decided to continue with youth work not because I could not find a job but because of my passion for the youth. I believe and appreciate that the youth are the force for change, the wheel that drives the World, such that the day this wheel will stop spinning, the World will collapse.

Actually, in September, 2006 while I was at school, my two colleagues and I had formed a youth organization .Bravo Mwila and Emmanuel! We were sharing the big dream, the vision and passion and we were set to do it, to see this dream come into reality .As you may all be aware, one needs capital or so to say be well placed in society with links to some good sources of funding, probably established contacts with donors. Yet for us, it was the opposite. We never branched from any well established institution, neither have we had any established contacts with any donors but we were ready to go.

I believe and appreciate the power of leadership when combined with social networking .I have the leadership skills it takes for me to lift my self and my fellow youths up. All I need is to network with elders, businesses, community leaders, political leaders, the government and other stakeholders, I pondered. These people have resources that can help us to succeed in life –Turn our ideas into reality .But again doing it is not as easy as it slips off one’s lips.

By then I only had a yahoo email address for my personal correspondence and used Google for my research .Besides this work I was managing a Computer Literacy Project with a local community school. I was regularly on the internet to put together some learning material and search for organizations that could offer support to the computer literacy project. I started participating in forums like the techsoup and Global Community Learning .Eventually, I started searching for forums that discussed general youth work. Quickly I was at the popular TIG (Taking It Global) Social Network.

Amazing grace it was! Well! Little did I realize that the internet I was exposed to was a gateway to combining my leadership skills with social networking and yield the great results that would turn my ideas into reality.

Worth joining! As soon as I signed up for a free account at TIG, I had access to the home for youth activists. Be it HIV/AIDS, Climate Change, Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and peace building, Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), Youth unemployment, and many other spheres of youth work .Yes! I joined HIV/AIDS youth movement the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) Global Youth Action Network (GYAN ) and many more .Good enough , the network has a number of information resources in different spheres of development .Due to my passion for ICT4D, I got a link to telecentres.org a global movement of people and organizations who are dedicated to promote and improve the use of Information and Communication Technology to catalyze development , and many other free and open learning portals for knowledge and skills development .

As a young writer and a youth activist, this was an opportunity and a platform for me to communicate my civic minded messages, democratic and open education and learning, resource mobilization and networking with both local and international development professionals, youth and adults.

I Grew Into A Digital Native.

Currently , I have profiles on about ten social networks including : telecentres.org , telecentres Africa Portal ,The Chrysalis Campaign , Taking It Global ,Twitter, Linkld ,facebook, Postreous , My space , blogger , Youth Action Network and many more . I have posted blogs on a number of topics with the majority on Information and Communication Technologies for Development, moderated discussions as well as participate in a number of forums.

It pays! I have met and networked with some of the most influential and proactive youths and adults in development including the National Focal Point for The Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS who is the Executive Director for Youth Anti AIDS Network Zambia and the Zambian delegate to the 7th Conference for Youth for Human Rights International 2010 –Mr.Lufeyo Phiri , the Zambia Association for the Advancement of Information and Communication Technology CEO-Mr.Dean Mulozi , the Chrysalis Campaign ,USA CEO –Richard C.Close , the World Virtual School and Hawkin Foundation ,USA Director and Founder –Dr. Diana Muir , the Youth Action Forum for Networking ,Kenya Program Manager –Kennedy Auma , and may others . These form a team of reliable professional partners which I have. This exposure has given me opportunities to attend and speak at international and local conferences including the Zambia National Telecentres Development Workshop and the 5th E-Learning Africa –International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Development ,Education and Training .More so, 75% of the organizations (Youth Skills for Development ) resources have been raised through the internet and networking partners whom we have been collaborating with through social media.
Indeed the internet and social media is the proven formula in enhancing youth participation in civil ,political ,social and economic development .To even realize more benefits and help others to realize and appreciate the internet and social media , I have earned my self more knowledge and skills on social media for development , building and managing electronic communities and other related skills .From my own experience , I do not hesitate to invite every youth to take advantage of the internet and social media if we are to enhance our participation in civil, political , social and economic development and improve our livelihood.

But one would ask how we can utilize the internet and social media when so many youths are not computer literate and many others have no access to computers and the internet .Can mobile technology in particular cell phones which are able to access the internet with multimedia features , owned and accessed by a good number of youths be an alternative and raise hope? What about youth in rural areas, do they have any hope?

Check with me in the next Article, “Youth in Development, Leveraging the Internet and Social Media-Mobile Technology as an access to the appropriate technology alternative.”