Nelly Bassily | May 11, 2014
Young people in Africa face many problems, not the least of which is how best to earn a living.
In both rural and urban areas, young people are challenged bydisease, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, unsafe work environments, social exclusion, and limited opportunities for education and employment. Do they stay with their families and try to farm or set up a business, or do they migrate to the cities, where the streets are “paved with gold”? Many choose to leave their rural homes in search of a better life.
Getting youth to participate as active partners in food security and agricultural production is a major challenge. It is essential to overcome constraints such as lack of land, access to credit, and lack of education and training for both farm and non-farm activities. By providing young people with income-generating activities and access to agricultural extension and other support services in rural areas, they may come to see farming as a viable way to earn a good living.
This week’s script is a two-part series designed to show young people that there are opportunities for employment in rural communities. You could broadcast the two parts on separate days, or present both stories in the same program. You may also wish to extend the series by producing programs on youthsuccesses in your community.
The full text of the script is available here:http://www.farmradio.org/radio-resource-packs/package-59-radio-in-support-of-rural-youth/rural-youth-success-stories/