Dear Young Africans,
We’re facing a harsh reality. We are at a crossroads, standing between the crumbling pillars of a broken past and an uncertain future. It’s clear that the future being passed down to us isn’t one of hope and opportunity but a burden of debt, environmental damage and broken systems. Our leaders have left us to navigate a landscape marred by poor decisions and self-serving policies. It’s a situation that stands in stark contrast to what young people in other parts of the world are inheriting.
In countries across Europe and America, the younger generation is being set up for success. They inherit infrastructure built for the long haul, clean air, thriving economies and governments that prioritize sustainable development. Meanwhile, we’re left with debts racked up by those who came before us. These are debts we didn’t ask for but we'll still be responsible for paying back. Our countries owe billions of dollars in IMF, World Bank and other loans and that money was often squandered on projects that failed to deliver any lasting benefits. While others move forward, we’ll be held back by a financial burden that wasn’t of our making.
And then there’s the environment. The natural beauty and resources that should have been our birthright are being exploited beyond repair. Illegal mining (galamsey as called in Ghana) and logging have left our landscapes barren and our rivers polluted. We see forests disappearing, air quality worsening and wildlife losing their habitats. Where young people in other continents are inheriting protected lands and sustainable practices, we’re being handed an environment that’s rapidly deteriorating.
It doesn’t stop there. Our social systems are in crisis. Education systems are failing, with schools that lack resources, teachers who are unsatisfied and graduates who struggle to find jobs. While our leaders send their children abroad for quality education and healthcare, we’re left with systems that can barely function. The promise of a better life during electoral campaigns feels out of reach for many, with youth unemployment rising and fewer opportunities available. In contrast, other young people around the world are entering job markets rich with opportunity, supported by governments that invest in their potential.
Faced with such bleak prospects at home, many young Africans see no choice but to leave. We hear the stories and see the images—thousands of desperate young people risking everything to escape a future that seems doomed. They set out on dangerous journeys across the Sahara Desert, facing extreme heat, dehydration and exhaustion in the hope of reaching Europe. Many never make it. We’ve seen the reports of bodies found in the desert sands and young lives lost at sea. Those who do reach North Africa often face a different kind of nightmare: being sold into slavery, trafficked and abused. Young men and women auctioned off like goods in a market, treated as if their lives mean nothing and their dreams of a better life turning into a living hell.
How did we get here? How did it come to be that escaping Africa has become more appealing to some than staying to fight for a better future? The mass exodus of our brightest and most resilient young people isn’t a coincidence; it’s a symptom of the deep-rooted problems our leaders have left unchecked.
It’s not just those who attempt to migrate who suffer. Those who remain are faced with constant struggles—unemployment, inadequate healthcare, poor education and a general lack of opportunities. Many young people are forced into precarious work just to make ends meet, while others, disillusioned and frustrated, turn to crime as a last resort. Meanwhile, our leaders continue to sign away our futures in exchange for loans that never reach the communities that need them most.
But this isn’t where our story has to end. We have the power to change the direction we’re headed. It starts with us recognizing that this isn’t the legacy we have to accept. We must speak out, get involved and demand accountability from our leaders. It’s time to push for policies that focus on reducing debt, investing in education and protecting our natural resources. We deserve a future where our hard work pays off, where our lands are healed and where our leaders act with the future in mind.
Let’s come together to rewrite the script. It’s not going to be easy, but if we commit to taking action now, we can build a future that’s brighter than what’s been handed to us. We have the energy, the creativity and the resilience to make real change happen. It’s up to us to make sure that the next generation won’t inherit the same problems we’re facing today. Let’s rise to the challenge and create a legacy that we can be proud of—a legacy of progress, sustainability and hope and where Africa will be a home to all. Are you ready?
