YES Insider Newsletter # 13
October 15, 2003
1. YES Peru Invited to Regional World Bank Consultation in Brazil
2. Public Debate on Youth Employment Law in Paraguay
3. Balkans Regional Youth Employment Program Underway
4. Arts and Culture Emphasized in Swaziland / Zimbabwe YES Meeting
5. National Youth Policy Under the Microscope in Ethiopia
6. YES E-list Influences Proposal Writing Skills
7. Peace-Building Booklet Published in Burundi
8. YES Somalia Secures Half Scholarships to USA University
9. YES Network Leads School Reconstruction Effort in Georgia
10. Employment Opportunities in Bangladesh?s National Youth Policy
11. International Symposium on Street Children & Youth in Kenya
12. Alexandria Declaration Now Available in Swahili
13. Travel Scholarship Scheme to Regional Forum Reaches Deadline
1. YES Peru Invited to Regional World Bank Consultation
Ms. Ursula Carrascal, YES Peru Coordinator has been nominated to attend a
World Bank Regional Consultation on behalf of the YES Campaign to be held
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 21 to 23. The meeting, held under the
theme of 'Regional Integration and Social Equity' is a consultation between
the World Bank and civil society organizations focusing on economic
integration in the Latin American region.
The organizers learned about Ms. Carrascal through her work with YES and
have asked that she be present at the meeting as a representative of the
YES Campaign. Ms. Carrascal says she expects to present the views of YES
Peru members on a number of development issues, and make a presentation on
the YES Campaign during the event.
The YES Network Coordinator, Dumisani Nyoni welcomes YES Peru's
participation at the regional level event. 'This demonstrates the
legitimacy of the work carried out by YES Country Networks. Ursula and the
team in Peru have worked hard for the past two years and this is an example
of what has come of their hard work. Attending an event like this is not an
end in itself, but it?s a good sign that major institutions like the World
Bank are paying attention to youth participation, and to the role the YES
Campaign is playing', he said.
Visit the World Bank at, http://www.bancomundial.org/sociedadcivil
Contact: Mónica Peñuela, <mpenuelajaramill@worldbank.org>
To learn more about YES Peru go to, http://projects.yesweb.org/YES-Peru
Contact: Ursula Carrascal, <ucarrascal@yahoo.es>
2. Public Debate on Youth Employment Law in Paraguay
On November 12, 2003, YES Paraguay will host a debate about the future of
Paraguay´s 'First Time Job Law', la Ley de Primer Empleo in Spanish.
Mirian Nunez, YES Paraguay Coordinator welcomes debate on the law,
observing that the law may not suit Paraguayan conditions.
'It?s designed to help youth access the labor market for the first time,
but the law is based on employment practices of more industrialized
countries, making it impossible to implement in Paraguay. The law calls for
such measures as tax breaks for employers and a national registry for all
youth workers, but the Paraguayan Ministry of Interior and the Ministry
Labor does not have the infrastructure required for the actions set forth
by the law', she said this week.
After the debate, YES Paraguay members plan a complete analysis of the
existing law. The result will be a report incorporating recommendations
from economic and labor experts as well as youth representatives. YES
Paraguay plans to introduce an alternative law to the Paraguayan Senate by
the end of 2003, Nunez says.
Meanwhile, Nunez reports that members of the YES Paraguay National
Committee are drafting a set of internal regulations for the operation and
coordination of the Paraguay YES Network in order to harmonize the
initiatives and facilitate continuing development and expansion of the
Network.
See more at the YES Paraguay web page,
http://projects.yesweb.org/YES-Paraguay
Contact: Mirian Nunez, <miriannu@hotmail.com>
3. Balkans Regional Youth Employment Program Underway
Balkan youth are meeting this week in Skopje, Macedonia to participate in a
regional initiative to identify effective youth employment programs and
policies. This week?s gathering, which draws youth from Macedonia, Romania,
Bulgaria and Albania, aims to build the capacity of participants to improve
the employment prospects of the region?s disadvantaged youth.
The German Education and Training company (GET) and YES are collaborating
to ensure youth participation in the GTZ-funded project. YES Network
members from all four countries are expected to attend. YES Romania
Coordinator, Ms. Rodica Pop says she is excited to be working with
counterparts from neighboring countries.
'We look forward to learning about the initiatives underway in other
countries, and explaining our projects to others. We expect to learn a lot
this week.'
The three-day program focuses on the characteristics of effective practices
and strategies to bring youth employment to the fore in development
planning. GET is hosting an open project page where it welcomes feedback on
the Country Reports it has published. Read the reports and give feedback at
this site,
http://projects.takingitglobal.org/employget
Visit the GET website to learn more about its projects.
http://www.icon-institute.de/en/p_get/about_get_1.2_.htm
4. Arts and Culture Emphasized in Swaziland / Zimbabwe YES Meeting
A fifty-nine strong delegation of Swazi youth visited Zimbabwe for three
days of skills workshops, site visits and cultural exchange in early
October. Organized by the respective YES Country Networks, the event marks
a turning point in peer-to-peer exchange between the two countries.
The theme for the visit, according to Zimbabwe Coordinator Memezi Nyoni,
was 'culture as a youth employment tool'. A number of successful artists
facilitated skills workshops, imparting their experience of making a living
as an artist. Hosted by the Organization of Rural Associations for Progress
(ORAP), participants from both networks enjoyed traditional dances and
songs from the cultures of both countries.
?The point of departure for any young African striving to be economically
self sustaining is a rootedness to one?s culture?, said Mrs. Sithembiso
Nyoni, President of ORAP and a YES Campaign Committee member.
The cultural exchange provided an opportunity for ORAP to announce that it
will be the lead institution supporting the YES Network in Zimbabwe. ORAP
staff members also presented local initiatives in ICT and HIV / AIDS. To
read the full report, including photographs, visit the YES Zimbabwe web
page.
http://projects.yesweb.org/YES-Zimbabwe
Contact: Memezi Nyoni, <mmemezi@yahoo.com>
5. National Youth Policies Under the Microscope in Ethiopia
Youth and experts from fourteen countries met in Addis Ababa, September
24-26 to focus on youth policy skills in East Africa. The three-day meeting
focused on building the capacity of participants to contribute to national
policy processes. Ms. Hope Muli, from YES Kenya attended the training
workshop.
Ms. Muli noted that each of the countries present had a different youth
policy story to tell. 'Ethiopia has her policy in draft form, Uganda is
currently preparing for the adoption of their national strategic action
plan, and monitoring and evaluation respectively, while Kenya has its
policy in draft cabinet form and will soon disseminate the draft national
strategic action plan on the same', Muli said.
After three days of intensive training with young people from across East
Africa Ms. Muli says she feels a greater recognition of what national youth
policies should aim to achieve. 'The principle should be based on the
expansion of assets to and capacity of young people to participate in,
negotiate with, influence, control and hold accountable the institutions
that affect their lives, thus leading to the holistic development of young
people.'
The ICNYP and UNDP organized workshop in Ethiopia made use of a National
Youth Policy Training Manual available at the ICNYP website,
http://www.icnyp.net/www/eng/meetings.html
Hope Muli?s report can be read at the YES Kenya web page,
http://projects.yesweb.org/YES-Kenya
6. YES E-list Influences Proposal Writing Skills
YES Network members are reporting success with the skills they learn from
the YES global discussion list. According to list moderator Tony Mathur
frequent peer-to-peer guidance takes place after individuals request help
through the list. Francesco Giotta, of YES Romania, recently acknowledged
the usefulness of the list in enhancing his proposal writing skills.
'I found extremely interesting Pawan Singh's contributions on the YES list.
I used his ideas extensively on how to create a proposal. I used his ideas
for our World Bank proposal, and we followed it point by point. Another
thing that came through the YES list was a set of ideas for 'tourism for
the poor', low budget tourism for families working for a small income, say
less than $3 a day', Giotta said.
Mr Giotta is currently honing a proposal to bring much-needed
entrepreneurial skills to the investment starved Tara Hateg region of
Romania. He says he soon expects to present a project proposal to the World
Bank office in Romania. The YES E-list archive is available at,
http://www.edc.org/hypermail/yes/
Contact: Francesco Giotta <fgiotta@hotmail.com>
7. Peace-Building Booklet Published in Burundi
?Is it Possible to Live Together?? is the title of a new education guide
published by Youth in Reconstruction of the World in Destruction (YRWD), a
YES Global Alliance member in the central African nation of Burundi.
Written in French, the booklet is funded by the US Embassy in Bujumbura.
Author of the guide, Prosper Ndabishuriye says the guide will be used in
workshops nationwide. 'We?re very excited with the uses we can make of this
tool. It includes advice for young people about what to do in case of
violence, and explanations of the rationale for respecting one's
neighbors.'
Access the French language booklet on the internet at,
http://www.peace.ca/BIRASHOBOKA.M.P.1.doc
Contact: Prosper Ndabishuriye, <ndapros@yahoo.fr>
8. YES Somalia Secures Half Scholarships to USA University
YES Coordinator Faiza Abdi Nor reports that Southern New Hampshire
University in the United States is offering four half scholarships to YES
Network members in Somalia. The scholarships cover half of the tuition cost
of a typical four-year degree at the university in the US north-east.
Ms. Abdi Nor says the offer is very generous but the network faces a
challenge to raise the balance of the tuition costs. 'The University
pledged to provide half of scholarship cost, and asked YES Somalia to seek
funds for the remaining scholarship cost', she said in the Puntland capital
of Bosaso this week.
Ms. Nor is searching for sponsors to ensure that 'Somali youths get access
to education opportunities and become effective future leaders for their
countries. Two generations have lacked education opportunities and became
armed militia sparking conflict, and hampering establishment of
government.'
Contact: Ms. Faiza Abdi Nor, < faiza_abdi@hotmail.com>
9. YES Network Leads School Reconstruction Effort in Georgia
Green Earth, a member of the YES Georgia Country Network reports a
successful community intervention to reconstruct a school in the country?s
Khoni region.
The project involved rehabilitating the schoolyard and buildings at Number
Three School, and initiating new curriculum in ecology and energy use for
students. YES Coordinator Mr. Nugzar Meladze describes a dramatic
turnaround for the school.
'The whole territory of the school was cleaned up and new trees were
planted.
In this action 35 pupils and inhabitants of the region actively took part.
400 trees were planted. The school was totally broken down. Previously,
pupils and teachers had to have lessons in unbearable conditions.'
Meladze says the Japanese funded project employed 65 people in cleaning up
the school, and it represents a triumph of community involvement. 'Today
the school offers ecological education. A governor of the region and the
administration of the school actively supported the project. Also, it has
been a success for the YES Network in the region.'
Contact: Mr. Nugzar Meladze, <Nugzar@yesweb.org>
10. Employment Opportunity and Bangladesh?s National Youth Policy
A day long seminar on the ?Employment Opportunities in the National Youth
Policy? was held at the Bangladesh Institute of Administration and
Management (BIAM), Dhaka on 5th October 2003. The seminar was organized
jointly with BIAM, YES Bangladesh and a number of other youth
organizations.
YES Coordinator Dulal Biswas reports the seminar was organized to examine
the recently launched Bangladesh?s National Youth Policy. He says the
seminar allowed a large number of youth to scrutinize the new policy.
According to Biswas, the main topics of the seminar included: 1. what is
youth employment? 2. what are the barriers to youth employment in the
country? 3. what are the scopes and opportunities in the National Youth
Policy which provide sustainable employment for youth?
Read more at the YES Bangladesh website,
http://project.yesweb.org/YES-Bangladesh
11. International Symposium on Street Children & Youth in Kenya
GTZ Kenya and YES Kenya are collaborating to host a three-day symposium on
at-risk youth, October 22-25, 2003.
Thirty youth leaders and a group of international experts will meet in
Kenya to share practical working approaches, including methods to improve
basic living situations. Countries represented include Uganda, Ethiopia,
South Africa, Tanzania, Gambia and Zimbabwe.
YES Kenya Coordinator Gathecha Kamau says youth in African cities are
suffering. 'In many countries a growing number of children and youths have
to live in the streets. They have to maintain themselves without shelter,
are confronted with violence and abuse, being corrupted and in constant
fear for their lives.'
However, Kamau believes that by bringing together innovative youth from
across Africa young leaders can find solutions. 'Though the magnitude of
the street work scares us and shies Governments, the YOUTH have many ideas
for them already ? and most are already involved in initiatives that have
been set up as the most suitable projects. We have little knowledge of some
of them ? rehabilitating a building in a run-down town center; laying the
foundations of a new school-room in a small village; committed individual
youths in the rural areas. These are big steps that require to be
acknowledged.'
For more information contact Gathecha Kamau and consult the YES Kenya web
page.
http://projects.yesweb.org/YES-Kenya
Contact: Gathecha Kamau, yeskenya@37.com
12. Alexandria Declaration Now Available in Swahili
YES Tanzania members have translated the Alexandria Declaration into
Swahili. Swahili is the lingua franca of East African countries, including
Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. Access the document at the YES Tanzania web
page,
http://projects.yesweb.org/YES-Tanzania
Contact. Kaanaeli Kaal, <kaanaeli@hotmail.com>
13. Travel Scholarship Scheme to Regional Forum Reaches Deadline
The YES Campaign Office in Boston has been accepting applications for the
past month for ten travel scholarships to attend the YES Regional Forum in
Hyderabad, India. This application process is now officially closed, with
Wednesday, October 15 the deadline. Over one hundred applications have been
received from all the twenty two countries participating in the Regional
Forum. Successful applicants will be announced in the first week of
November, 2003. YES is unable to contact all applicants in person.
Applicants who are unsuccessful in winning full travel scholarships may be
offered half-scholarships, comprising room and board in Hyderabad for five
nights. YES will announce details in November.
For information about the terms and conditions of the travel scholarships
visit the YES website at,
http://www.yesweb.org/hyderabad/schol.html
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