KOKOTIKO

WORLD YMCA DELEGATION AT THE 2019 UN ECOSOC YOUTH FORUM I consider the opportunity to represent a Global Organization such as the YMCA at the United Nations 2019 ECOSOC Youth Forum a life time achievement in the same manner athletes will see themselves representing their nation at the Olympics or at the FIFA World Cup, mine is nothing short of that, perhaps it may even be more than that. Considering the live transforming work the YMCA is doing in 120 countries in 1200 communities impacting 60 million people, it was truly an honour to be a flagbearer of the YMCA at such an important meeting to present the voices, hopes, fears and aspirations of millions of young people at the highest forum in order to influence policies and decisions that will impact the lives of young people around the world. I have no doubt that young people around the world will appreciate the fact that they have been represented by   highly qualified young ambassadors and they expect that in the...

The ECOSOC Youth Forum is a platform where young people can exchange ideas and develop recommendations on issues of importance to them, engaging in dialogue with Member States as well as regional and global actors.     The 8th Annual Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum takes place in New York from the 8 th -9 th April 2019 at a critical point in time as the world is working to address the disadvantages of the current trends in globalization, which are not sufficiently sustainable or inclusive. It will address the theme, “Empowered, Included and Equal”, which is aligned with the theme of ECOSOC and the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) which focuses on inclusion and equality in 2019. [i] The 2019 Youth Forum can also be the space for a broader dialogue that considers the historic Security Council resolution 2250 (2015) and 2419 (2018) on youth, peace and security.   The Youth Forum will create a space for a dialogue on youth actions and polic...

There are days when you feel you have fulfilled your purpose here on Earth and that even if you should die at that moment you will consider a life well lived and meeting God's plans. Yesterday was such a day for me when I met young people from The Gambia SOS center in the company of some delegates of the 3rd African Youth Commission Conference for a field visit. Given a chance to speak to them I recounted how as a young boy I lost my parents and that it was sports that gave  my life a meaning and put me on the path of progress, of how as a tennis ball boy my life has been totally transformed. I then charged them to take the space very seriously to max out their daily engagement for it has all the potential to make them achieve every dream they have. It was their feedbacks of how they welcomed my message and appreciated me profusely with those of them who had the chance to interact with me telling me they will want to be like me that makes me dare say I fee...

The African Youth Commission (AYC) has over the last 2 years, provided a space and voice for youth and youth organisations to set and drive their own development agenda, promoted the involvement of young people as key partners in the implementation of the Africa 2063 Agenda as well the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, supported advocacy actions on the ratification and implementation of the African Youth Charter, other youth rights-based legal instruments and contributed to advancing the AU Shared Values through a network of locally based youth actors across Africa. Following the success of the 1 st and the 2 nd and as enshrined by the constitution, the AYC Secretariat in collaboration with the Gambia Youth Council under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of The Gambia is organizing the 3rd African Youth Conference on African Unity and Development on the theme: ‘The Future Is Now; Youth are Not Too Young to Lead’ from the 23 rd to 26 th of March 201...

Recognizing that there is abundant tennis history to celebrate legends of the game and to impress the most enthusiastic tennis fans and to inspire the next generation of players, the Tennis Foundation Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF) is set out to organize the maiden Tennis Homecoming and Wall of fame and Awards.    With the overall intent to honour and to celebrate those who have pushed the game of tennis in Ghana to a fever pitch since pre-independence, the foundation sees the need to erect an appropriate shrine to reflect the game’s evolution and development The expectation is that the manifestation of this project shall grow from its humble beginning to become the earthly home of the game’s immortals in Ghana. The Ghana Tennis Hall of fame is going to be home to hundreds of inductees and a space for tennis history and unparalleled accomplishments. Truly the #PASTREFLECTSTHEFUTURE and on the 9 th and 10 th of August, 2019...

Peace be with you all, (Your response will be: and with you) Throughout the YMCA, from its smallest unit to the summit at Geneva there has become the need to grow, strengthen and to make our movement relevant more than ever before. Plans are far advanced at the Greater Accra Region to aggressively champion this course and to make the Greater Accra Y as robust as expected as a noble member of the World Urban Network. To this effect I am excited that the young people of our movement have also picked the signal and are taking great steps towards achieving our universal aspirations. The Youth breakfast meeting slated for tomorrow the 8 th of December 2018 at Sebrepo on the theme Youth Empowerment 4 Good is a manifestation of the many steps the leadership of the Region has taken to awake the sleeping giant. I have been extensively briefed about the activities of the breakfast meeting and I am excited about this particular meeting because of its ownership. Of how our young peo...

Our world is full of life maddening circumstances that has made many to have given up not only on themselves but on life itself as a whole and when you hear some of the untold stories you can honestly come to terms with why many people especially young people are continually not able to triumph and are not reaching their fullest potential. Nevertheless our world and for that matter humanity has equally proven itself of being the inspiration that we can find in others at least if not in ourselves to scale the numerous challenges that confronts our development. So is the PROMISE OF A BOY FROM JANGA, Dr. Kabiru Tia Mahama. Born to parents who never attended school and would have to farm and go to school at the same time in a village without electricity nor telecommunication network, the then Kabiru Mahama now Dr. Kabiru Mahama who was only able to learn how to read at primary 5 in a school with only two teachers to take close to 300 students at different levels throu...