What I learned as a Youth Think Tank Researcher

I’m a Statistics graduate from the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, and I have always been passionate about solving social problems through entrepreneurship and business development. The areas I’m most passionate about are agribusiness and domestic energy, fashion and design, as well as digital innovations and technologies.

I was fortunate enough to come across this golden opportunity, which changed my life, toward the end of 2016. The Youth Think Tank (YTT) arrived at the perfect time for me, as I was seeking an opportunity to help guide me along my chosen path. The experience exposed me to different environments such as rural communities, where I was able to meet people with wide-ranging personalities and views on life.

The experience also taught me a lot about different aspects of the agriculture sector, like organic farming. Organic farming mostly relies on the various organic waste materials available in our communities, which can be used to make agriproducts such as manure and pesticides. Organic farming speaks the language of African communities because it is environmentally friendly and easy to practice. It doesn’t require a huge capital, either, so young people can more easily engage in it.

My experience with the YTT took me to places I never imagined I would see and introduced me to people I never expected to meet. It gave me the opportunity to interact with numerous young people, so I could observe and understand their views on the agriculture sector. Being a YTT member has played a major role in bringing the best out of me, and will help me to bring the best out of others.

While we were in Arusha for data collection, I met an organic farmer who had very interesting insights. I was happy to see that what he shared with me was then included in the final report, as I wanted his message to get across:

A Tanzanian organic farming innovator noted that what is necessary is getting “the relevant information and knowledge. Then you will be in charge of everything.” The key to ideation is not just acquiring information; it is the relevance of that information

As a YTT Researcher, I came to understand the power of engaging young people in different sectors of development. This understanding was empowering; it taught me that my voice is valuable, and I now believe it is crucial to engage young people in different levels of development and research. This is especially important where youth employment and economic opportunities are concerned, because young people are agents of change. Investing in them means investing in a nation and the world at large.

In order to create economic opportunities for young people, they need to receive relevant and timely information about existing opportunities in the agricultural sector. They must also be trusted, and encouraged to be the change they want to see.

My goal for the future is to become a social entrepreneur who will inspire social movements and create spaces for young people to develop and grow. I believe the skills I gained from being a YTT member will help me become a good leader, further improve my human relations skills, demonstrate integrity and generosity, and be an ethical professional entrepreneur. I plan to seek out challenging and rewarding career opportunities in areas that will utilize what I learned.

As we look for better ways to engage young people in different sectors, we should ensure they are part of the policymaking process. Excluding their voices makes it more likely that policies will be based on formality rather than real and contemporary issues.

Finally, I am very excited to be part of the report launch in Ghana. The YTT has been a great learning platform for me, and I believe I will go on to create significant change in my community because of the knowledge I gained along the way.