Youth Kick-Off Workshop in Congo

The workshop was facilitated by Jean-Marie Ntakirutimana, business advisor Agriterra. The participants consisted of youth members, presidents of the board of directors and managers of four cooperatives (Coosoproda, Coopaba, Coopritu and Coopamak). In this workshop, they have learned and discussed the following essential points:

- What is youth participation?

- General (future) vision of young people in the cooperative

- Exploration of possible activities for young people

- Needs and expectations

- Sharing of ideas within the cooperative

- Funnel model

- Mentoring

- Creation of youth groups

The workshop has been interactive, containing games, and exchange of local and international experiences. This has made the workshop very productive.

The participants learned a lot of things, but the most essential part was the exchange of experiences between the youth members, the presidents of the board of directors and the managers of the cooperatives. The youth members presented what they would like to receive from the heads of the cooperatives, and the heads of the cooperatives also shared what they want the youth members to do for the cooperatives and for their entrepreneurial lives.

The workshop ended with the development of action plans to be followed up with the help of the Agriterra business advisors to ensure proper integration and entrepreneurship of youth members within their cooperatives.

The workshop has been really important for the young people of the Ruzizi plain who live in environments where young people lack jobs, and are exposed to the threat to join armed groups and create insecurity. The participants made a commitment to engage in agriculture through cooperatives and to sensitize other young people to do the same.