Unleashing the latent potentials of young people in Africa: The example of Dalumuzi Happy Mhlanga and Salathiel Ntakirutimana

Abstract

This article tells the story of two young people, Dalumuzi Happy Mhlanga from Zimbabwe and Salathiel Ntakirutimana from Burundi, to show how they have defied the lack of structured opportunities and made an impact on the development of their home countries and even made a mark globally. The intention is to highlight the potential of young people and to show how this might be unleashed when they are allowed to innovate and flourish. The article begins by providing a contextual definition of youth from global and African perspectives, followed by an insight into youth participation. I proceed to tell the stories of the two young people’s activities in school, at university, in their home communities and during their two years at Waterford Kamhlaba, United World College of Southern Africa in Swaziland. My telling of their stories is based on their responses to a questionnaire I emailed them in September 2013 and on their postings on social media and interviews. The discussion identifies Dalumuzi and Salathiel as social entrepreneurs and servant leaders with an enlightened vision of community development and the empowerment of young people. They demonstrate the interrelationship between youth empowerment and sustainable national development. The article concludes with a message for African leaders and institutions around the world that it is essential to invest creatively in young people as they can be powerful catalysts for African development.