A youth congress organized by the All Africa Conference of Churches at the Pentecost Convention Center in Ghana has drawn about 2,000 young people between the ages of 15-35.

With the theme “Africa: My Home. My Future,” the congress endeavors to increase awareness of the tremendous potentials of young people and the opportunities that await.

While delivering a keynote address at the opening of the Congress in Kasoa, Ghana, Rev. Fidon Mwombeki, a Lutheran pastor from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, said;

“The future is here, in Africa, but if the youth aspire to a prosperous future in Africa, they must make it happen,”

“We have therefore prepared this first congress, to be a platform, a venue for African young people to meet, inspire each other, network, and make the determination that they will change this continent and prepare for themselves a blissful future. Africa: My home. My future,” he added.

Africa has the youngest population in the world. The continent is home to over 1.2 billion people. More than 60 percent of these fall below the age of 25 years. However, as Africa youthful population continues to rise, there has been uncertainty over the continent’s preparedness to tap into this resource for economic growth.

Rev. Dr. Mwombeki said the church was convinced that young people were Africa’s greatest asset.

“When and if mobilized, and given the opportunity, the young people will change the destiny of the continent. Africa will be the next source and engine of growth and prosperity of the world,” he said.

The congress aims to facilitate African Youth to campaign for: Youth and African Patriotism, Active Citizenship, Justice and Peace, and African Dignity.

While highlighting the struggles with unemployment, corruption, and limited economic opportunities, among others, Mwombeki regretted that youth in Africa were negative about their countries and the continent, and if given a chance, they would try to leave.

“Their negative attitudes have reasons. It is true that they are disillusioned by the status of their lives. Many finish their years of education successfully and cannot find meaningful work for years,” he said.

Because of this growing frustration, many choose to migrate to ‘Western countries’, where better opportunities are believed to exist, subjecting the continent to ‘brain drain’ and capital flight, while others are recruited into extremist groups.

“The home we seek to have as African youth can only be built by us and no one else. It takes discipline, creativity, wisdom, integrity, honesty, righteousness, and the grace of God to build an exemplary home,” Rt. Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, a Presbyterian church leader who is the chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana. told the youth congress.

“I urge the youth in the congress to go back to be ambassadors of a clean environment. We cannot create a home with dirty surroundings and we cannot leave a better future for the next generation if they have to combat deforestation.”

Africa: My Home. My Future will create a generational movement made up of empowered, patriotic and passionate African youth committed to the holistic transformation of their countries and continent. It is also an opportunity for African youth to connect and worship together in an ecumenical service.

All Africa Conference of Churches is a fellowship of 500 member churches who together represent more than half a million Christians around the African continent. The 5 day congress that started on Monday, 31 October runs until 5 November 2022.