“Come Back to Africa, Together for a new Africa”: Summary of the Project

Training Paths to Empower New Leaders for a New Africa

 Duration: January 2018 – December 2020 (3 years)

General Objective: Contributing to the strengthening of civil society and African politics as the Agenda 2063 goals

Specific Objectives:
• Contribute to the integral formation (social, civil, ethical, political) of young African leaders to encourage the growth of a new ruling class prepared for change
• Create a permanent space for training, information, etc. of young people at regional level
• Develop a network of adults and young people committed to change

Project Summary:

Consistent with the objectives of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union, the project aims to strengthen African civil society and politics, promoting and strengthening the participation and representation of young people in regional institutional contexts, with respect and encouraging the implementation of both the 2020 Agenda goals and the guidelines proposed by the African Leadership Forum and the Interuniversity Council for East Africa

As emerges from the analysis of these documents and as pointed out by the above-mentioned studies, the urgency is to train the younger generation in  leadership, instilling the culture of civil engagement and responsibility. Hence, the idea of creating study paths in the African continent which allow the return of minds and talents that can relaunch the values and potentialities of the continent. The paths must constitute a point of reference for the newly graduates, which would become a regional training centre for young people ready to get engaged in their communities, a study context in which elements could be found for responding to the challenges listed. The idea is to give priority to young people in the development of initiatives, in order to create training opportunities that prepare young people to face daily challenges by always referring to the founding values of their community, such as solidarity and fraternity, in respect of their abilities and for the valorisation of the economic and social resources available to them. What we want is to create shared spaces for discussion and work for the future of the African continent that invert the dynamics of underdevelopment of local realities, until reaching the revaluation of the entire continent.

Thus we want to accompany those who feel called to contribute to change in Africa through ideas and those who feel to engage immediately in public and political life, in their everyday life, to create an economic, social and political culture based on solidarity and individual initiative in Africa. Providing younger generations with tools to develop their own awareness and knowledge of the context and resources at their disposal could thus provide an immediate and long-term response to many of the issues facing Africa such as:

• The demographic, political, social and cultural transition phase that Africa is living
• The issue of young people, their formation and possible solutions to mitigate the effects of unemployment
• The instability of the political and social context
• Lack of innovative and adequate spaces for the integral formation of leaders capable of triggering change processes.
• Ethnic, religious and nationalist closures that prevent the creation of a generation of leaders capable of looking beyond their own interest
• Building collaboration among young people to foster economic, social, political development at regional level towards a new Africa.

We propose a training cycle over a period of three years, beginning in January 2018 and concluding in July 2020.

In January 2018, a five days’ training and a project planning seminar will be held with teachers and tutors who will develop the programmes of the following years, adopting the methodology and accompanying strategy of young people along the training path.

In July 2018, the first training meeting of young people from the countries of the East African Community will take place for ten days at the Centre “Mariapolis Piero” in Nairobi (Kenya).
The project also provides at least three national meetings organized by the young participants in the training programmes with the help of their tutors, during the following year. The programmes of the second and third year will be held on the model of the first year.
At the end of the three-year course, the young participants will receive a certificate from Sophia University Institute (Italy) and, hopefully, from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (Nairobi, Kenya).
In addition to the formative part, the project aims at continuity, with the inclusion of beneficiaries in a network of associations that will remain active at the end of the training course (the headquarters will be in the Centre “Mariapolis Piero” in Nairobi, Kenya), in order to form a permanent centre of research, reflection and meeting for young people and for the renewal of the continent.
The focus of the programmes will therefore be the creation of reflection spots on the specific challenges of the region, with the help of university teachers of various disciplines, and the development of reflective capacity of participants and the call to be protagonists of change at all levels.

Promoters:

• Sophia University Institute: The project will involve a group of African graduates of (12 countries) which will provide the experience gained in their path at Sophia University on the role of young people for a new Africa.
The project will also involve internationally renowned teachers, coaching and possibilities of scholarships (Master and PhD) to the best students.
• International Association New Humanity
• Opus Mariae Reg. Trustees (Kenya): With its experience in project management and collaboration with other local authorities: Relationship with international institutions, experience in project planning, partnerships with NGOs active in civil society at international level. Contacts with young people of different sensibilities and of different communities
• Movement Politics & Policy for Unity (MPPU): Experience in the promotion of schools of participation in various countries around the world, contact with political figures who have the desire to work for their people in the world and also in East Africa.

Support the Project:

Webpage: www.togetherforanewafrica.org

Bank Details:
Name of Bank: Banca Prossima
Account Holder: ASSOCIAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE NEW HUMANITY
IBAN: IT60S0335901600100000010470
BIC: BCITIMX

Contacts:

Project Manager:
Dr. Melchior Nsavyimana
e-mail: melchiornsa2012t@gmail.com
Cellphone / WhatsApp: +39 347 332 1027