But after a decade of armed conflict and in the midst of severe economic depression, toys educational imports have become too expensive for many classrooms in Yemen.
Shadia and Fatima, two young businessmen in Yemen, identified this gap after participating in a training course managed by the UN Development Program (UNDP). They decided to start a business led by young people named Dorri that would create sensory learning tools from wood and cloth of local origin.
Solo, Dorri will not bring peace to Yemen, nor will he solve the fact that more than a third of young people in Yemen are unemployed. But, according to one of the directors whose kindergarten received the toys, Dorri represents the creative potential of Yemen’s youth.
“When young people take the initiative, everyone wins (children, families, schools and entire communities,” said the director.
Young people in peace consolidation
August 12 is the International Youth Day, one day that highlights the integral role that 1.9 billion young people play around the world in the creation of sustainable futures.
This year, the day is particularly significant according to Felipe Paullier, the general secretary of the UN young people, because it coincides with other notable dates, including the tenth anniversary of a resolution of the Security Council that affirms the vital role that young people play in the progress of peace.
“Young people are leading change with the purpose, from local campaigns to global peace efforts, creating confidence between cultures and creating a lasting impact,” Paulier said.
Creating prosperous livelihoods
By 2050, people who are currently under 25 will compose more than 90 percent of the world workforce, which makes their vital training and education for the economy and a prosperous peace.
However, in contexts full of conflicts or in communities that face displacement, this training and education may be impossible to achieve.
Elijah, a Sudanese refugee who is now 27 years old, arrived at a refugee camp in Kenya in 2015 after fleeing violence in his country of origin. Education was impossible for him: while trying to attend school for a few years, he finally retired because he could not pay school rates.
But the training was very feasible: in its informal installation, which specializes in electronic repair, has already trained 15 young people like him. He still hopes to do more.
“My dream is to open the largest electronics repair installation in Kakuma that will serve the community and will also train young people without a source of livelihood to take care of themselves,” said Elijah.
An intergenerational approach
Mr. Paullier emphasized that the empowerment of young people at the local level must imply more than just supporting initiatives such as ELIJAH, rather, genuine empowerment lies in “real trust.”
“Significant youth participation means involving young people as equal partners. It means an intergenerational collaboration because investing in young people is not just about the future. It is the world we live in today,” he said.
In Myanmar, this type of intergenerational knowledge exchange has acquired a unique form: theater. The continuous conflict in this country has overturned many livelihoods and created mature conditions for gender violence.
A group of 18 young people in Mon State has formed a performance group that functions as an educational initiative. Together, they write, direct and organize plays for neighboring communities of all ages that discuss issues such as domestic abuse.
In an action on domestic violence, an old woman in the first row turned to her neighbor.
“This is my story too,” he said.
Through these actions, young people have created a forum for an intergenerational conversation: “We are not only artists, we are community educators, and this stage is our platform for change,” said the min ch, one of the artists.
Sudanese refugees at the No Run Transit Center in Renk, South Sudan.
Danger of Tokenism
Despite the resolution of the Security Council, young people tend to remain excluded from policy formulation decisions. Or if they are included, their participation is sometimes “Tokenista.”
Areej Hussein, the founder of a base feminist organization in Sudan, has experienced the frustration that his defense is simply a symbol for those in power.
“Women and girls are not just victims of war, we are builders of peace … enough to use women as slogans. It’s time to truly listen to their leadership,” he said.
Mrs. Hussein has worked to change this in Sudan by mobilizing women in all areas of life and empowering them to tell their stories.
And she is not alone: ​​many young people are working around the world to change this. But for each of them, their approach to affect real change is slightly different.
For Shadia and Fatima, they were touch toys. Elijah inspires refugees … and for their tone, the answer was the theater. “We may not have the power to change policies, but we have the power of this stage to change our communities to a safe and egalitarian society,” Tone said.