The YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation (YP2LE) activity has been a source of inspiration and support for young changemakers since its inception. YP2LE strives to amplify youth voices and provide an enabling environment for authentic stories to be shared. Youth are respected partners who co-create solutions and work alongside allies in executing meaningful work.  

Since 2019, YP2LE has hosted annual campaigns and events in honor of International Youth Day. These initiatives have included contests and opportunities for youth to actively participate in raising awareness about topics that are important to them and their communities, such as employment, underrepresented groups, and mental health. This year, YP2LE co-hosted an event on August 13 with USAID's Agency Youth Coordinator's Office to honor our #YouthPartners. This youth-led event, Celebrating Progress in Partnership with Youth, elevated USAID's commitment to youth, celebrated partnerships with youth that led to progress in access, participation, and systems change, and featured some of YP2LE's young partners from around the world.  

Emcee Monica Ferry, former YP2LE Youth Advisory Group member, opened the celebration by welcoming the audience and expressing how events like this celebration were "precisely the kind of spaces where [she] was able to exchange ideas on making youth programming more inclusive, meaningful, and effective."  

Improving Partnership within the Agency 

Monica then passed the virtual floor to Agency Youth Coordinator Sarah Sladen, who led a Fire Side Chat featuring USAID/Rwanda and Burundi Mission Director Keisha Effiom, YP2LE Senior Specialist of Mental Health and Inclusion Nicola Chehade, and Zaira Lainez Carrasco, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Officer for the Youth Excel program.  

"How do we put this vision into practice as a government agency, as implementing partners?" Sarah asked. "What have we learned so far from our successes and failures?"  

Keisha, who was celebrating her first day as the Mission Director for Rwanda, emphasized that youth are a major priority and noted that "almost 70 percent of Rwanda's population is under age 30." She highlighted the unique context of Rwanda, which is still healing from the intergenerational trauma of the genocide, affecting youth of all genders. Keisha also pointed out the steady increase in youth unemployment, with 1 in 4 youth between the ages of 15-24 being unemployed. Despite these challenges, Rwanda is expected to become a high-income country by 2050. 

Zaira stressed the importance of avoiding tokenism by taking youth feedback seriously and acting on it. She urged implementers to shed their preconceived notions about how youth should show up. "When we don't, our good intentions for youth engagement may end up resulting in more distrust, more community division, or a sense of injustice," she said. Sarah recognized USAID's efforts to engage more deeply with populations who are often marginalized, acknowledging past difficulties in reaching these groups. 

Nicola Chehade brought attention to the often-hidden issues of mental health and trauma, emphasizing the need for an enabling environment that not only encourages people to speak up but also has mechanisms in place to effectively manage feedback. "Without understanding the underlying factors of what might stop someone from engaging with us… We're not going to be able to sustain the effects of meaningful, inclusive youth engagement for the longer term," they said. Nicola also made the case for tailoring trauma-informed approaches to the needs of different groups. 

Keisha concluded the panel by mentioning the importance of being aligned with partners on what positive youth development means and asking, "With youth in the driver's seat, what does progress look like to them?" Reminding the audience that youth need to lead the change. 

Highlighting USAID's Commitment 

The event featured two spark talks that provided examples of USAID's commitment to youth. Vushe Shoko reviewed an internship program he participated in and shared lessons learned from his experience in his talk entitled, Internship Program for Diverse and Underrepresented Youth in Zimbabwe. Mischeck Jaravaza, a Mission Intern, spoke about how the program has benefitted him and reminisced on his growth, stating, "It is not always easy to come from nothing."  

Tara Kalaputi, the Youth Advisor for USAID's North Macedonia Mission, spoke regarding programming in her country during her talk entitled, Nothing For Youth, Without Youth. As an expert in child and youth protection, she spoke to the current statistics around youth employment rates in North Macedonia. She pointed out that 80 percent of young people in North Macedonia have stated they are inactive. When it comes to implementing a PYD approach, Tara noted, "Youth were a critical part of all of these processes that are here not just as participants but as co-creators." 

Youth at the Forefront  

From the Youth Advisory Group to the Digital Youth Council, young leaders have been integral to YP2LE and its predecessor, YouthPower Learning. The Youth at the Forefront panel, moderated by Digital Youth Council member Cavin Dennis Tito Siregar, provided a platform for four young leaders to share their insights. 

Former YouthLead Ambassador Abimbola Ajala emphasized the importance of passion in youth leadership. She shared, "It's a lot about the heart that you carry for the work that you do." Abimbola highlighted the significance of utilizing available resources effectively and involving youth in international projects. She stressed, "We cannot deal with issues in isolation. We have to look at issues holistically." 

Woody Juste, another YouthLead Ambassador, spoke about the opportunities provided by his role. He mentioned that it allowed him to expand his network, exchange ideas with peers, and gain new knowledge. Woody noted, "This experience has enabled me to share my social impacts with a bigger audience." He also highlighted the importance of including youth in local and community activities to foster a new generation of leaders. 

Rachida El Ehdioui, a member of the Digital Youth Council,  spoke to the value of mentorship and the diverse network of people involved. Rachida stated, "Our engagement today lays the ground for informed and inclusive leadership in the future. So we can ensure sustainability." She also underscored the need to design inclusive programs that address various barriers and involve marginalized youth in co-creation processes. 

The panelists collectively underscored the importance of youth participation in decision-making processes. Abimbola passionately argued for the involvement of youth, asserting, "We have the numbers. We have the skills. We have the lingua. We have the creativity." Woody echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for youth to be part of shaping their future. The panel showcased the remarkable contributions of young leaders within the YP2LE initiative. Their experiences are an example of why youth are critical in driving positive change and building a sustainable future. By involving young people in decision-making and project development, YP2LE continues to empower the next generation of leaders. 

A Decade of Youth Partnership 

Deputy Assistant Administrator USAID, Bama Athreya, provided the closing remarks, bringing the IYD event to its conclusion.  The event was a celebration of the power of youth engagement and the importance of creating spaces where young voices are not only heard but valued and acted upon, and it gave a small window into the impact that the YouthPower Learning and YP2LE programs have had on other youth programming in the last 10 years. Ten years of PYD-centered activities and research that led to the development of hundreds of resources, program tools, multimedia products, and events that helped to educate, equip, and partner with youth. We celebrate that progress.