By Benjamin Buyemere, Youthfim Program Coordinator.
With a profound desire to allow participation and also to make the global campaign “MY World” well known for a large group people, youth gathered in the Youth Forum on ICPD and MDGs, “YOUTHFIM” have set the target of reaching more disadvantaged people, by meeting them in public markets, in the streets, students in Universities and others that are not in contact with information, raising their awareness about the process that is undertook by the UN Millennium Campaign, aiming to gather the voices of all categories of people, in order to contribute to the MY World global survey in the context of the world we want.
University sites are chosen first. The reason is, most of Youthfim’s members are students, so it can be easy to gather voices in their spare time from friends or classmates in there. The University of Kinshasa was the starting point.
What is amazing, is since launching the campaign, everyone in the team has been deeply involved, moving everywhere with a large batch of forms in their bags in order to allow people on the way to vote offline. Even in audience waiting room, in taxis, everywhere we are taking advantage of the opportunity to collect votes; by day or by night.
With this strategy, within the first two days of the campaign, we reached three hundred people and who agreed to fill out the form after getting them to understand why this process is held in our country and world wide.
But, even though we are students who are supposed to know very well the why and the importance of this process, it doesn’t mean we are not facing challenges. We met skeptical peoples who didn’t believe that we were volunteering for the new development agenda Post 2015, but for something else. Most of them questioned “For what campaign? Will we be paid for the campaign?”, etc. It sometimes takes a lot more time to explain to each one why and even so they do not fill out the form. In each case we can’t give up. We are prepared to face such problems.
Before September 2014, we have the goal to reach 100.000 online and offline voters. For that, we are raising the awareness of local authorities and people representatives to be more involved and also to support the campaign around all Democratic republic of Congo.
See below a picture and quote gathered by YOUTHFIM
“My name is Thérèse Olenga Malonda, I am the Minister in charge of Education and Environment issues in the Government of the City Province of #Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo #DRC.
I am supporting @MyWorld2015 because it is a great opportunity for the world and for my own country. We are right now in the instance of adjusting the shooting and bringing a new dynamism to the international and local development agenda.
For the post 2015, I advocate more for education without which people cannot cope with the challenges of change in the context of globalization. The whole world is now living how women are involved in different issues that bring to the local development that because they are empowered through education. I am hopeful in the world that sees his wellbeing through giving chance to young girls and women, playing a major role in communities, countries for they are worthy, educated and prepared for being part of and in the happening change.
I also advocate for the environmental sustainability because currently we all are aware about its importance in our lives and of the planet.”
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