COYPED WANT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT A REALITY IN LIBERIA

[James Koryor]

The Consolidated Youth for Peace & Development (COYPED) has lauded the President of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for her promise to make youth empowerment a major priority in her second term.

According to the Executive Director of COYPED, Mr. James Koryor the promise should not be a dream but rather a reality, stressing that young people are identified with higher propensity to engage in change. They also possess clear insight into the perception of change in society and the continuity of those changes; and they are the largest, most productive, most active and major driving force in society and must be empower at all level

The youth advocate furthered stressed that one of the ways of making our young people productive citizens in the affairs of their country would be to focus on education and provide impetus on enhancing Liberia’s present political process that provides our youth every opportunity to participate in the lives of their people and to empower them to address the challenges we all face.

The COYPED boss is also calling on all citizens to change the present picture and to build a healthy society by engaging our youth to expose themselves to the struggle, encouraging them to be leaders of the future, equipping them with knowledge and role they have in society, providing them with the venue to redouble their participation in the lives of their society, and developing their knowledge and awareness on the real issues facing Liberia.

Mr. Koryor furthered stated that research have proven that most successful youth programs have built-in structures for youth leadership, because when youth have direct role in creating and maintaining their own programs, they participate more regularly and they develop critical leadership skills. The youth advocate also indicated that special attention must be paid to youth-led organization operating in the country if the government youth empowerment programs are to be far-reaching and sustainable and not only focusing and increasing subsidies to national youth movements but rather providing opportunities that will enhance all youth-led organizations access to funding and resources.

Koryor also used the occasion to commend the young people of Liberia for the way in which they conducted themselves during the just ended 7th General Assembly of the Federation of Liberian youth (FLY) and is at the same time cautioning the newly elected officials of the federation to live up to their promises by instituting programs that has the propensity of building the capacities of member organizations across the country.