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GREAT POTENTIAL AFRICAN YOUTHS, NAIROBI.
Date: 11-11-2023
Great Potential African Youths was formed in 2009 and registered in 2010 to empower vulnerable youth, women, and children for sustainable growth. The two factors affecting the community are unemployment, crime, and substance abuse among the youth. They change the situation by sourcing talents like music, film-making, and theatre to create sustainable work and sensitize the community.
With the assistance of networks like Slum TV, National Theatre, and Creative Garage, they have been able to source talents and create job opportunities for the youth and women in the community. Most of the youth and women who work with them have even been able to stay away from crime and substance abuse due to not being idle.
The organization also arranges workshops to deal with issues such as gender-based violence, early pregnancy among the youth, and how to live a rounded life with HIV and AIDS. Sensitization is one of their key priorities. They arrange civic education in the community as knowledge is power.
One of their achievements is the Sinema Safari Africa where they got six hundred participants from five countries and organized an exchange program with Italy and Switzerland. Many youths got an opportunity to present their works of art. Contestants were able to showcase their work through all forms of art. Through this program, many talented youth and women were able to get sustainable jobs within the country and abroad.
They also give back to their community in times of crisis. Such times include the COVID pandemic. They were able to supply Antiretrovirals to people living with HIV and AIDS. They also supplied food and other supplies to the communities, especially in the slum areas. During the COVID pandemic, many were in isolation, and mental health issues such as depression arose. They could access a listening ear to assist with many mental issues, especially depression.
For the youth and women affected by drug abuse, the organization links the victims to some of their networks that deal with rehabilitation. They also aid young women who have gotten pregnant early with vocational training where they can get sustainable skills to raise their young family.
In a continent where white-collar jobs are seen as superior, we can hear a voice remind us that Our Talent is Our Future. Through talent, careers in media and sensitizing communities can be for us and the generation to come in Africa.