By Nangamso Mabindla
26 April 2005

ISSUES affecting youngsters are the topic of a United Nations' Children's Fund (Unicef) workshop in East London. Young people from Buffalo City (Amatole District), uMhlontlo (OR Tambo District) and Umzimvubu (Alfred Nzo District) are attending the five-day workshop, being held to find ways to empower young people from underprivileged areas in the province.

Improving the psychological and socio-economic circumstances of these people is another aspect of the workshop, where it is hoped participants will learn from sharing their experiences, information and resources.

Gerrit Maritz, the Unicef project officer on youth development and HIV/Aids prevention, said the workshop, which started on Monday, 25 April, would empower the participants. "These youngsters will leave this workshop knowing their strengths and weaknesses. We'll also equip them with new skills.

"This workshop will go a long way to creating a platform for these youths to be creative and to be able to participate in their communities in a meaningful way - to speak for themselves," he added.

The workshop is being facilitated by Ireleng Institute of Cultural Affairs, a local non-governmental organization. During the five days participants are looking at leadership styles on the continent, sharing information and ideas on HIV/Aids and taking part in various awareness and empowerment exercises. Maritz said participants would have fun while talking about the issues closest to every young person's heart.

The municipalities were chosen because two of them - uMhlontlo and Umzimvubu - are presidential nodal areas, while Buffalo City could play an important role in the development of the youth. Unicef is providing technical support during the workshop, with Buffalo City providing accommodation.

At the close of the workshop, representatives will draw up a youth development strategy for their particular districts, as well as form a network of youth organisations across municipal boundaries. It is hoped that over time the strategy will be expanded to cover the whole province.