BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
MATSAPHA – The European Delegation to the Kingdom of Eswatini has kicked off a three-day empowerment training to help Eswatini youth engage, connect and empower through its Youth Advisory Board.
The workshop started on a high note today (Friday, November 22, 2024) at Esibayeni Lodge in Matsapha, as the training was graced by the European Union (EU) Ambassador Karsten Mecklenburg. The EU collaborated with the Youth Advisory Board and Erasmus+ to host the training. The workshop is aimed at aligning the objectives of the EUD and those of the Advisory Board and to redefine the operational parameters and line of communication for the Youth Advisory Board.
The workshop attracted a high number of young people to offer their perspective on the future of the youth in the country. The participants shared their thoughts on the role that young people should play in the development of their lives and that of the country. The ongoing three-day event saw the first day being impactful as there was a lot of knowledge sharing from best practices and future directions from the EU, Erasmus+ and the Youth Advisory Board.
While speaking during the event, EU’s Head of Cooperation Eva-Maria Engdahl said the purpose of the workshop is to make the EU’s external action is more relevant for the youth and children worldwide.
“The EU is strengthening three pillars of action: 1) Engage: Increase young people’s voices in policy and decision-making at all levels; 2) Empower: Fight inequalities and provide young people with the skills and resources they need to prosper and fulfil their potential 3) Connect: Foster opportunities for young people to network and exchange with their peers,” she said.
The Ambassador Karsten Mecklenburg said the idea to establish such advisory structures as the Eswatini Youth Advisory Board is subsequent to the adoption of the Youth Action Plan in the European Union External Action for 2022-2027.
He said this is the first-ever policy framework for a strategic partnership with young people around the world to build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future.
“It is both humbling, and encouraging to note that in Eswatini the EU can rely on the young citizens who voluntarily provide a sounding board, which gives a youth perspective on the many initiatives that the EU is implementing in the country,” the Ambassador said.
The youth represents different thematic areas including entrepreneurship, social inclusion and human capital. The youth were taken through various presentations and interactive discussions on the impact of EU in Eswatini.
The training continues tomorrow with a discussion on opportunities offered for Emaswati through Erasmus + run by the EU.
Youth Advisory Board member and participant at the workshop, Sinikiwe Dlamini, while answering the question posed to her as to what motivated her to be part of the Advisory Board said it was because she understood what the European Union was all about as far as working with the youth is concerned.
“It is the representation of Eswatini youth social issues, especially with regards to health and wellness to the EUD,” she said.
The Youth Advisory Board Chairperson Busiswa Dlamini said they have been active for a year and they have faced a couple of challenges as they tried to figure out their mandate on the ground.
She said the workshop would really help them as it would act as an induction for them to strategize on how they better engage and see their impact. She said they expected to get out of the workshop with a proper strategy on how they can work together and produce the desired results.
