"Success doesn't come over night, be consistent one day things will work out for you" //Faith Jwenge

Good morning once again from the awardwinning TV host of the year. Yes. How is the morning going? How are you doing? It's 14 minutes past 8 in. I am Karib Busana. This is Y in the morning here on Y254 channel. We are very excited to have you back and we're going to be having an amazing discussion. By the way, happy International Youth Day to you? Yes. Did you know that today is your day? I am very sure that most of the people that watch me are young people. So yes, today is our day to celebrate internationally. Imagine outside your village or your area. What's going on? Is there an event about celebrating uh the International Youth Day? Because today is our day. Yes. And this is something that's going to be happening worldwide. International means okay. And across Kenya, we have so many uh events across the different counties that we have. So yes, I'm very sure there's something going on in your society or in your community or in your area. So make sure as a young person, you're not left behind. Make sure that you are part of what is happening. Yes. And I'm not here alone. I am here with Calvin Shikuku as well as Faith Jenga and they are um the youth advisory panelists and we are going to be having a discussion with them so that they can get to educate and inform us everything in regards to international youth day. So stay with us and make sure that we enjoy and get to learn and understand more about international youth day together. And make sure that if you have a question or a comment or anything whatsoever that you have for me or for my guest that you reach out to us on our social media platforms at 254 channel Facebook a question and we are going to be very excited to get to read your comments and engage together. But for now let's get to dive in straight to the discussion. And as always ladies go first. So, I'm going to give Faith a chance to say hello to us. Yes. Um so that she gets to tell us about herself and why international youth day. Good morning, Faith. >> Good morning. My name is Faith Jen, a member of the regional youth adversary panel for plan international and I'm glad to be here today as we commemorate the international youth day first celebrated on 12th August 2000. It was uh brought up by the UN General Assembly just to create awareness about youth affairs celebrating our culture, our diversity and all matters youth because uh in the development space most organization are working towards being youth centered because you can see that a majority of the population in different countries is mostly youth comprised. So it's just a day to celebrate youth in their diversity and I like this year's theme. The theme is usually given by the UN and then different organizations now narrow down to how they want to commemorate it or what their theme for that year is. So this year's theme for International Youth Day is a different context, same aspirations. So yes, >> amazing. I'm glad that you even introduced the theme. So, we're going to be talking about that in a few. Good morning, Calvin. >> Good morning. >> Say hi to my people. >> My name is Calvin. Uh, shout out to a lot of young people who are watching today from Madar. Uh, big ups. Um, I am a member of uh Kenya Yap Youth Advisory Panel. Um, and um, I'm also an innovator. I am an entrepreneur. Um I lead Moto Bricks Innovation Center that is all about entrepreneurship and all that and I'm a youth and I'm very passionate about um things that affect young people. Uh again today's theme is one that I I love so much and the discussion we have about international youth day for me is about bringing youthful discussions where they matter because u when you look at what's happening with the youth currently in the country it's a lot and it needs to be addressed and discussed and all that and I believe I'm so happy that we'll be talking about all that. >> Amazing. Um, since you've said that uh this uh theme is quite something for the both of you, let's get to hear from you Faith. Why does it matter? Why are you saying that you love uh this year's theme? What's the difference? What does it mean? Because saying that it's different context and common as aspirations. uh we would like to understand what that means to you as a person and why you feel like it's it suits the society that we are in today. >> Okay. As I mentioned I'm a member of the regional youth advisory panel. So in this region planned operates in 15 countries that is in the Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa. So representing Kenya on that platform means you bring a voice of very diverse people, a voice of young people from different areas. Why diverse and same aspirations? We in a youth advisory panel. So in Kenya clan operates in eight program clan has eight program units. These young people in these program units have different problems, different challenges. But when we are representing these young people, we have to ensure that whatever we advocating for is mutually beneficial to everyone. A young person in Turkana and a young person in Kifi and a young person in Home Bay might not have the same challenges. As a young person currently in Nairobi, my challenges are very different. But in such spaces, we want to be heard, we want to be seen, we want to be involved. So it is important to me because when I get into some rooms I want when interacting with decision makers and different stakeholders I want that the decisions that are made there not only benefit me but benefit that young person in the grassroot community who's not able to be in that room because they are also young people they also need to be heard if let's say they're coming up with a project I may not be the only beneficiary at times it won't even benefit me >> but you have to be inclusive. You have to ensure that whatever is happening just affects every every other young person. We all cannot let's say we are interacting with let's say government stakeholders. Not every young person will be in that room. But what are we saying? What are we actually what is the message that you want to pass across? Is it just something that will benefit you as an individual? So when you talk about different context different context same aspirations we're talking about every young person deserves to be involved deserves to be seen deserves to be given an equal opportunity to speak to air their voice and uh just to be involved if it's there's usually a phrase in this space that nothing for us without us. Yes. >> Amazing. uh for you Calvin probably you can help us understand uh when you hear meaningful youth participation what does that look like for you as a person? uh meaningful youth participation u sometimes lacks the word meaningful. And uh when when we say meaningful youth participation, we mean involving the youth not just for the optics or for the cameras or for the reports. It is meaningful in the sense that the youth actually enjoys the process and is part of the initiate the initiation of the discussion or the process. And I'll give an example. Um a lot of times and nowadays everybody does it. You want to if you are holding a forum you want to look at have the youth attended? What is the number of young people? But sometimes that is not enough. um how did the forum come about the first place? >> Mhm. >> If the youth said you want such a forum now that is a meaningful conversation and just to tie that with what faith was saying. Uh when we talk about different contexts there are youth who are living in Congo right now there is war. If you go to Syria, even when you come to Kra, there are different issues that these young people are facing. Even young people in the US might be living a different reality within the context where they live. But if you look at what the youth aspire, it is the same. They want dignity, they want opportunities, they want respect. what we want is the same despite where we come from. And that is very important for me because having come from an informal settlement, I know that these voices are sometimes ignored like these ones are goons. So these ones should not put them on on certain tables >> which is not right. So the theme really ties to looking at youth who are in the developing world with a different challenges they have but still striving to give them an opportunity to achieve whatever they want to achieve. >> Amazing. If you've just joined us, make sure that you follow up this amazing discussion. be speaking about the international youth day and today at no about ourselves as young people what affects us how we should speak how we should voice our opinions because these are things that matter to us as young people faith maybe you can tell us uh because you've been in these advocacy spaces what is that thing that very many young people are trying to talk about they're trying to really uh voice but the people that they talking to our our gates like what's that probably issue you feel like it's not being given the attention as much as it should be because most of the times you find there's something that people are trying to talk about Jenz were writing because they're trying to voice something so is there an opinion or an issue that you feel is not being given as much attention as it should right now >> there are lots of issues But now for the purposes of this conversation, we'll narrow it down to the development sector. So we're talking about equal opportunities. Many young people in Kenya at the moment and surrounding countries are facing unemployment. So we're talking about creation of uh employment opportunities or entrepreneurial opportunities and u you know right now there is the conversation of Gen Z versus millennials what is happening in the workspace but I don't think at times you're having the right conversations we not we're not saying as young people we don't want certain jobs we don't want to do jobs we are not ready to work but are we ready for the conversations on equal opportunities is for young people and what it means. So at the moment I feel when you think about unemployment which is a very serious conversation because most of us have gone to school but really struggle to get a source of income but it's not it's the wrong things are being addressed >> and uh I'll go with u the development the development sector still when you're talking about when you're let's say you're creating a project you've decided uh we'll use madar For instance, we decided in Madar we want to come up with a youth project and they're going to do tailoring. I have no problem with doing tailoring. But have you had a conversation with the young people in Madari to know what >> this is what they really want. >> This is what they really want. This is what they can really get >> or they just decide you're going to do computer skills and it is the same Excel and uh >> Exel Exel at least has different complex. They won't even go into those formulas. They just decide, okay, this is what young people want, >> but is that really creating an opportunity? Yes, you're giving them skills, but are those the skills that they require at that time? So when you're talking about creating opportunities for young people, have you had the chance to have a conversation with them from the onset of designing that project? They can tell you, okay, for now we want to do something on climate change, you want to do upycling and what we will need or what will help us is maybe getting the gear and the so these days there's when you get when you see glass bottles, the the way they are upcycled into very cute ves and glasses to have water. Maybe that is what they really want and you in that boardroom you've already decided they are going to do powerpoints and word >> something that they can easily do on their phones. So when you're talking about creating opportunities for young people, involve them in the entire cycle from the design phase when you're implementing the project. And a place that most organizations at times forget is during the evaluation and monitoring. Mhm. >> So you have okay you've decided on the project that you're doing for the young people and then it comes to now checking if the numbers are working or if it's working or they're actually benefiting when it comes to the report you just do the report alone how sure are you whatever you're reporting >> is actually what was happening on the ground with the young people >> so you're creating opportunities which is the biggest thing I feel is affecting us as young people is uh um involving young people from design implementation, monitoring and evaluation and the final report. Another thing I think we need to have the intergenerational conversation on how we are going to work in the we're going to work in this marketplace because we are growing >> and we can't say now the older generations now have to leave the workplace. >> Yeah. They can't still we still need to get the balance and find a way of working and maybe just talk about the systems and the policies that surround it because most people are not ready. >> Young people need to say okay this is what you want. We need to get a middle ground and the older generation also say it's okay we're ready to work with you but you can also work on one two three. So that intergenerational conversation needs to really be had for us to get into the workplaces because you get into an interview they look at you and they ask >> yeah and they just before we get to that let's get to hear from Calvin you've said something faith about making sure that we give these young people what they really need and what really works for them but now when in a situation you find uh the because they're integrated Everyone has their own desires. They have their own likes and dislikes. So you find there are people who are interested in tailoring or there are people who are interested in making these artifacts or there are people who are interested in the word and all AI. So how does how do you come to make sure that every person is met like the their needs are met according to every person's desires or probably a society or a community maybe this community what they need is border bording or maybe this community what they need is to get the skills on AI like you said it's very like the young people in Nairobi have different problems and issues with the young people in Turkana how do you get to now make sure that every young person is catered for according to their needs specifically um the way they are >> I would say just ask them uh young people listen uh but we don't ask the right questions >> um and I'll give an example of how the government does it during public participation young people come to gatherings to give you their opinions about development. It could be about a policy or a law. Then you get into those forums. You sign at the gate. You get in, you participate, you give your opinions. At the end of it, everything you said is not included in whatever the final document. >> Or you go to a public participation and maybe it's a fiscal paper or a strate strategy paper that is to be discussed. Those documents are not in the forum. >> Or you go to that forum, there's a big book you're supposed to read in five minutes and give your contributions. Yeah, >> that's the wrong way to listen to young people or to engage them. >> And that is why we use the word meaningful. Is there adequate time for the young people to actually give you what they think? >> Are you offering opportunity based on the competencies and the interests that these young people have? Sometimes that is not done and that there that is where the problem is. >> A lot of people say that young people don't want to work. >> Oh my god, that's the most ridiculous thing. >> Can you give me work that I'm passionate about and then come and ask whether >> I want to work or not? >> In our education system, we are taught by teachers who cannot teach eight subjects. But we are learning eight subjects. >> Mhm. which shows sometimes we focus on the things that we focus on making young people who they are not rather than working with the strengths they already have the interests they already have. >> So I think for every program or any engagement that is targeting young people the first step is to listen. >> Ask young people what do you guys want? And sometimes when you ask young people if you don't have predetermined uh like programs or ideas you find very different things and then that brings about excitement and you see young people doing stuff >> because this is what they are >> because it is what they want. >> Yeah. And it is what makes sense and that also ties to youth priorities. And I think people are getting wrong what the youth are prioritizing. >> Mhm. >> Because they are not asking the youth. >> Yeah. Thinking this or they judgmental this is what they would want and that's what they take to them >> or this is what you need to do. >> They're not really going to want to know what they really want to do. >> Yeah. >> Amazing. something a phrase that has been used so many times that young people are tomorrow's leaders. Why not today's leaders faith? Why is it that they say young people's are tomorrow's leaders? Do you mean that we cannot be leaders today as young people or what does that statement really mean? >> We used to be told when we young when you talked about when I grow up we are there we have grown up >> we are the new adults. What is happening is we need to be trusted with these opportunities. There there's an age limit to some of these opportunities. Like when they see you are a young person, they've already ruled you out. >> It is a job. It is entry level. 10 years experience entry level. [laughter] Was I supposed to start working as a as an infant? Doesn't make sense. 10 years of experience. How old are you supposed to be? Remember level >> now? You need to get into the workplace. >> Yeah. And these work places are the ones that are supposed to give you the experience. And now if they don't allow you in, how you going to get the experience? >> Now, how will we change or how will you affect the marketplace at that time? When it comes to leadership, young people are capable of leading. Just give them the opportunity. And when you give a young person the opportunity to lead reportage, it now doesn't become a young person leading. It becomes a young person's face >> with a different >> leadership. >> Behind the back, other people are the one that's calling the shots. >> Yes. And uh also us as young people when you're given these opportunities please let's give it our all because if one person you as a young person you're given an opportunity and you don't do it well it will be our gen Z and there's nothing people thrive on as any one person that failed. >> So if you not if you don't do it well as one person you're spoiling it for the next young person who is going to come and do it >> to do that. But we currently when I grow up >> we already take up these pieces. I just need the chance and at times no one will give us this chance. Let's just go for it. >> Yeah. >> Amazing. Calvin uh what are some of the misconceptions uh that you feel people have believed about young people and when I say people it's the older generation that they they believe about young people that you for you as a person you know or you feel like it's wrong that's not the reality about the young people >> they say young people are impatient >> young people are jumpy I I don't know what that means Um, young people are rude. There are just things that sometimes um you you laugh when you hear them. And uh the impatience bit is one that really comes out like I think the older generations expect young people to wait and and this is just a trick >> to slow young people down. And it's just an excuse for leaders not to be to be vigorous and not to work hard in terms of creating opportunities and fixing the education system. These are just excuses but they are used to be little young people that you guys are so impatient, you guys are so >> we even don't know what you want. I was told that some time ago you you can't be understood like you are not specific like >> and uh I think this is wrong because it it makes young people lose self-esteem or lose confidence in themselves >> and and what the world needs to understand as young people this is also a stage it's the energy that we have in our veins. Yeah. It's the spirit of being a young person. Um, and that stage comes with that expression and that what people call weaknesses need to be utilized as strength. >> Yeah. >> If young people are energetic and they are in your midst, you need to tap that energy. >> Yeah. Give them a place to just thrive. >> Yeah. So that you are able to also achieve stuff as an organization using that energy that young people have >> because for young people again we we don't have a problem transiting online posting stuff and and all that. These are things that we enjoy. It is >> in our DNA. >> Yeah. It's inbuilt >> when we are young people. >> Yeah. >> But that should not be used to belittle us or be used negative. M amazing. There has been a uh something that was going on last week and they were saying about how now young people pajamas and the dress code and like when you look at them and how they dressed it's just not the best. You know millennials feel like hey you guys for you faith as a as a young lady. What do you think when it comes to dress code especially in the workplace because that is an issue that very many young people have a problem with? Uh you'll find there's a way someone wants to dress up but this is not professional. This is not how you're supposed to dress up when coming to work. Should it really matter as long as like should it be a real issue? Because in some companies and in some places, some employers don't just accept you the way you are. Uh there's a way you're supposed to dress up or they probably tell you this is how you're supposed to dress up. But for young people, they feel like Crocsaw boneta and all that. For you as a cuz for men, I don't think it's a problem as much, but for young women, it is. So for you as a person, what do you think about that? I don't think dressing should be a very big issue for a start. Let us also remember different professions have different dress codes. Some of them start from campers like you're told on presentation day or on this day you have to dress in a type of way. So let's first understand there's no way I'm doing certain things and you expect me to come there in a in a dress and heels and whatever I'm coming to do is not related. Mhm. >> First of all, the jobs that I've done, I've not been like in a very quote unquote corporate >> official job. >> And then these days, mostly smart casual just works. So long as you're presentable and then let's say there are certain jobs you'll get to the office, you'll just be behind the c behind the computer maybe just doing your work. Now I'm just coming. I'm not even interacting with the clients. I'm not on the front end of the organization. >> Why should I also come dressed in a in a very official way? >> I feel there are certain rules in some companies that just don't make sales. And uh if maybe you don't feel okay from the interview stage, just say our company has one, two, three, and this is how we operate. If it's going to be a problem, you say it on the onset because some jobs will tell you it's okay so long as you come to work. You come to work in your smart casual, you're decent and now it now becomes a challenge. But I feel so long as you're decent enough to work, it shouldn't be an issue. And they say if you're dealing with clients directly or in the front end and there's a reputation of the company or the organization, let it be told up front. All my deliverables have been met. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Amazing. Um well, they should understand that they're dealing with young people. At the end of the day, as long as the work is done, I've delivered, this is what I'm supposed to do, then that's it. time management Calvin most of the times you find that was say uh they they they uh there's a a post I saw online and someone was late for work and then where are you and then they're saying I'm waiting for my mom to finish getting ready so that she can give me a ride and then the employer asks so you pick an Uber or something yeah like a I'm not so used to that I have to wait for my mom to drop me to work and at the end of the day this person comes to work late yeah so is that a problem? Should that be a problem? And another example or question to connect with that or maybe they are let's say it's 8 to 5 but at times according to the level of work that you are doing extend probably. So for a person who feels like that but at times it becomes a problem um when it comes to time management how as a young person how do you feel that should be handled >> uh for me I'd avoid talking about time and point to what's happening >> um the youth are demanding flexibility And this flexibility varies because some prefer to work late, >> some prefer to work early. What I think employers or institutions should be honest enough to have these conversations >> as a as a as a young people who work with other young people. I understand that sometimes if you have rigid structures, it affects performance. If you want me at 8, I'll come at 8, I'll leave at 5. I'll do so tomorrow again and the day after. So employers should have these conversations. And I know sometimes it's a problem with young people. Talk to your employers. Tell them this is how I feel. What do you think about this? because that eradicates the conflict of oh I came late, I left late and all that. But I think um uh if an organization has pol a policy that it has engaged its employers about and people are in agreement, people should stick by it. My my my way of doing things is for us to discuss and make a very flexible kind of working structure provided we achieve all the deliverables that we we want and I think the world is also moving away from judging someone at face value. It's the same with dressing. In the past, if you if you wear a suit, >> you look like a very serious person. >> But nowadays, young people don't want to be judged by that. They are more interested in what they are doing rather than how you look at them. >> Our old generation, that is what they were taught and they stuck with that and it's okay. >> There needs to be a compromise. >> Yeah. >> Amazing. Um it's quite interesting because like you're saying uh the diversity and how things are changing. Uh people are different. You're going to find a CEO who is in shorts and they are okay. They don't find that uh to be a problem because at the end of the day how you dress is not it's important but it's not as important as what you're delivering which is uh quite quite interesting. So as we wind up because I see time is really far much gone. faith. Uh you can tell us um what is the future of the young people for you as a person and as an advocate when you look at it >> uh from a broader perspective what's the future that we have and what should we expect and where do you think the society is going to get to few years from now >> okay since we are winding up I'll just mention as we are celebrating international youth day plan international will The international Kenya will be commemorating its international youth day next week >> in Homa Bay. They currently have a triple threat campaign that is going on. The triple threat campaign you're talking about ending teenage pregnancies. We're talking about uh ending start of new HIV infections and we're talking about ending sexual and gender based violence. So it's going to be happening next week in Homer Bay and uh those who will be able to join like them to be there. So a future that I see let us have conversations like whatever you're talking about time and flexibility. There's no way if I come to work at 8:05 it's a problem but if I leave work at 700 p.m. because you had extra tasks it is okay but tomorrow if I come late it's an issue. Let us have those. You can't say it's 8 to 5, but it is only strict when it comes to 8, but not strict when it's leaving at 5. You see that we're going to have an issue there. Another thing that I believe in a future that there's as mentioned flexibilities. I know most people are accustomed to let's say 8 to 5 and in office 8 to 5 but as time is going by there are certain roles that don't even need me to be in the office. Can we adjust to the moving trends? If let's say for instance I'm in coms, I do not have to be in the office every day because you're looking at it when you're talking about now let's say salary you will not be able to increase the salary the standards of living are changing when I come to the office every day there's transport every day there's meals every day and my task does not have does not involve me to be there every day. So you see that's a conversation that most organizations also need to have so that we don't have this issue of young people are not ready. No, we want to get to a place where we can get into some of these spaces with confidence because you're going to be heard. We're going to be given the opportunity to be there for the development sector and the organizations and the governments. When you're designing the projects, don't just bring the young people towards the end. Uh the report is now there. the donor said young people must be there. So on the final day you call young people >> there's good press there's good PR the photos are taken the signatures are there so you're like I involved young people that is tokenism but uh if we can get the young people from the onset that will be very nice that will be a future that I would love and uh once you have these conversations as young people able to show up more confidently we're able to give it our all and to when we grow up so just give us the cards to also get into these pieces equally. Thank you. >> Amazing. Calvin, um, Feather said something about uh, reproductive health and uh, I would like you to touch on that because young people feel like they are informed, well informed, but maybe there's something that they're missing out because we still have teenage pregnancies. people are still getting these infections and uh people are still struggling with STI and STDs and probably maybe they are not as informed as they think they are. So maybe you can cuz right now if you tell people that we are having a campaign on HIV AIDS they'll say ah about HIV you know but in reality they actually have a lot that they don't know a lot of information that they missing out on. So yeah you can tell us about that. >> Uh first of all I think they still very low awareness uh with regards to reproductive health. Uh also in terms of services, the services are not youth friendly which also makes uh young people not to seek those services and there's a huge gap uh when you stretch that and also talk about gender based violence the response the referral pathways and all that things things just don't work as they should. Um at the same time young people are also facing other challenges that makes it impossible just to to to talk about or to focus on their reproductive health. You are unemployed you're facing police violence like in Madar a lot of that happens and in Kibra and all these places. So there is really a lot that young people go through that sometimes some things just happen. Uh for example, teenage pregnancy is a cycle that you can't do anything about it because the mother went through the same thing, the daughter is going through the same thing. There are no opportunities. There's poor mentorship. It's a whole thing about neglect and it's um maybe a time that our society needs to look at these issues broadly and start fixing them. Despite the work that we do in our informal settlements to address these things, they are still prevalent because again for a small organization trying to do such a thing, you don't even get funding to do it. >> So it's um it's stemming from neglect. But there is really a lot of progress also being made uh in terms of reproductive health. We are seeing a lot of advocacy around it. Um and we are seeing some changes. The referral pathways are improving. Um I know teenage pregnancy is still on the high but nowadays it's something that is frowned upon like it's it's not normal anymore. So if there are perpetrators there are systems to actually deal with them. >> Yeah. So it's a lot and we are missing out because we are not really looking at it as it as it should and mental health is also affecting that uh topic greatly. Uh because if you don't have a job you face a lot of violence >> and all that. It's just uh makes you break down. Yeah. So it's not sometimes possible to address some of these issues when you are facing also a lot of problems >> and our faith what do you think young people should do because uh most of the times like he has mentioned when it comes to mental health you're going through all that but at some point I feel like as a person it is your responsibility to take care of yourself to allow to know what you allow in and what you don't allow because now if you allow yourself to be affected by everything that's going on around you you might go crazy. Yeah. And it it's going to make you sick. It's it's going to make you um like probably you don't have a job and you you you are a young mother, single mother. You have a kid there that you're supposed to take care of and you find like things are not just working out as a person. How do you take care of yourself? Or how should they take care of of themselves to ensure that in as much as things are not really working out, you're not uh okay, you're still trying to make sure that you don't let it get to you to even affect your health as a person. >> Number one, constantly reminding myself that this is just a part of the journey. It's not the end. Eat a jeeper someday. Eat a jeeper. Just believing in ourselves that time will come and then success doesn't come overnight. Being patient with myself and reminding myself that a time is coming when things are going to work out for me. Another thing that I do is being ready for these opportunities. Maybe you have to be knowledgeable about the opportunities that you earn so that when something comes up, we are ready to take up those space. So being kind to myself, reminding myself that success doesn't come overnight on >> and uh just being ready for opportunities. Learn as much as you can. Be prepared. Do research on what you want to do. And we are still young. Some of the things that we want, the people who have them, have them in their older age, in their older years. because the car that I would want to drive is someone maybe in their 40s or in their 50s. They took time to get there. So still heavy on and let's just have fun. Let's have fun. Let us live in the moment. We are still young people. We are still children. Yeah. >> Amazing. Um it's good to remind them that because at the end of the day Someone is young but the kind of life they living because of the pressures and the stresses um they even look old. Someone tells you their age and you're like are you sure that's your age? Because of how they look because of how situations in life have really pressed down on them. But like you're saying, we're still young. Yes. Life life is everything is going to work out. Yeah. We live a day at a time and we keep pressing on and um not giving up. But in regards to that to metare young people sana but I'm very sure there are some things that they do that you feel as a person as a young person you should advise them and help them in regards to the same. So maybe Calvin you can tell the young people what is it that you feel and they should work on in in regards to making sure that they are aligning to their societal expectations. Uh so for me uh to the young people I think uh we need to look at the realities that we are in. Um our country does not have jobs currently. So uh we are better off trying to provide those jobs and I know we don't have the tools to do that but um these are things that u we can work around um I think we also as young people we invest a lot of time complaining. I used to be a complainer number one. Yeah. But I got to a point and realized that if I frame my thinking around complaints, even the people I'm talking to shut down. >> Yeah. >> They don't listen to me and I'm not able to get what I want. So young people, we must quit complaining. Just reframe your complaint into a comment or an action or something, a call to action basically. Um the last thing um if you go to a job um these jobs they are not sometimes where they want to be. They may not be able to pay you what you want or what you're worth but pick it from where it is and take it to another level. Yeah. So always mark time. That is a language I use. Let's mark time where we are until we are ready to run. Yeah. So whatever platform we get, let's quit complaining. Let's take what is there and let's work with that. >> Um and let's correct our elders politely also because sometimes there is frustration. And I get it. This is perfect. I get it. Sometimes it is so frustrating because when you look at uh adults especially duty bearsers or people in power or politicians >> you get frustrated to a point that you even wonder why they they are talking because you you just don't understand how they arrived at what they are doing and all that. I get it and it's really frustrating. But let's look at all this as also our responsibility to correct whatever is going wrong so that we can secure our future and future generations. >> Amazing. Uh Faith, what are your what's your advice to the young people out there? What do you feel they should do or what do you feel you like I wish I I had a chance to speak to these people. Now this is the chance. Speak to them. Tell them uh as a young person what you feel they should work on as young people. >> Let's be informed. Let's be informed as much as we want as much as we can because some of these opportunities or some of the spaces we can't represent ourselves very well if we don't know what what we really need like right now as Kenyans we are getting into the electioneering period politicians campaign do we know the roles of each position that is there or whatever comes But since you don't know, you can't question them. There certain jobs you want, but we don't even do research on them to a point that if if you're given the opportunity, we can't take it up. So, as young people, let's be informed as much as we can and let's get ready for the opportunities that we want. >> Amazing. And as we celebrate International Youth Day, we get to celebrate an amazing uh woman here. She's called Incubent Hula Mummani. Yes. And she won the DFL primary for Minnesota House. And uh the uh the explanation is that Mummani is one of only two def house incubants seeking re-election of uh this year who drew a premier challenger defeated former Brooklyn Park City Council member Winfred Rousel in a rematch of the Raza 2024 contest. Yes. uh as a young person here you see that they're getting to bigger platforms and bigger offices which is something to really really uh comment about and it's amazing like Freda said be informed yes I love telling you that it's very sad that you get to a place and you can't even have a conversation all you can say is okay yeah because you're not informed and you have nothing you have no idea about what is going on. And yes, for you to get to these levels, for you to even earn the respect for because now one thing. So already people people look at you and they're like, you know, they don't think highly of you already and then you're there, they start a conversation and you can't even contribute to that conversation for 10 minutes. So that means that it kills every everything they were thinking about every respect they had for you or probably doubt like okay let's just give her a chance and see and now because you can't even hold a conversation it feels like hey so make sure that you are very very very informed because it is important for you as a person to be informed I see we have very few minutes so maybe uh you can tell us Calvin you had mentioned that today you have something that you're doing in your community. You can tell us about that so that the people that are around can know about it and probably join you. >> So uh there are m multiple celebrations in Madare and also in Kibra that I'm involved in. Um there's a cleanup and there are youth uh [clears throat] sa vijana who are doing uh some nice um activity at the dcc. >> Um and these events are also about commemorating international youth day and holding leaders accountable and all about that. Uh the second thing also this week uh we are putting together um aspirants for the MCA in our world Mabatini and we asking them to tell us what is their agenda and that is along uh something we started called bungala vijana which is a platform to just talk about the youth priorities >> and task leaders. us with um giving us or telling us what different they are bringing on the table. So these activities you can join them online. You can look for generation shapers. You can search for youth and urbanism. You can search for Kira joy initiative vijanai. These are stuff that are being streamed online and you can find a way to participate. >> Amazing. Faith. Uh you also mentioned that there's something that you're going to be doing next week. Yeah. So you can tell my people about that the date where it's going to be the time for the people that are around. >> So it's happening on 20th in Homer Bay. It's the triple threat campaign that affects young people. As I said triple threat is uh ending teenage pregnancies, ending s of new HIV infections and finally ending sexual and gender based violence. So it's being done by plan international in conjunction with Homer Bay County Assembly. So it's going to be in Homer Bay. But if you want to know what plan international is doing on matters uh child rights and uh youth centeredness can follow them on all their platforms across plan international Kenya. That's where most updates and opportunities for young people are usually posted. >> Okay. You can also tell us where we can find you on your social media platforms. >> I am the easiest person to stalk so long as you know my name across all the platforms. I just use my name Faith Jen. So it's either Faith Jen or Jen Faith. And when it comes to doing impact and community projects, I do with a charity organization known as the Rotaract Club of Gong Road. So for our community projects, we do the Rotaract Club of Gong Road. for advocacy campaigns and everything just get me on faith jen and to know what plan international is doing and the upcoming activities and opportunities it's plant international Kenya >> okay Calvin where can we find you online >> yeah like Jen Calvin Shikuku everywhere Calvin Shikoku on Facebook on Twitter on Ina everywhere and on Friday I'll be streaming I'll be live uh while we are hosting the MCS parents debate on Friday. >> So I'll be live. You can check out Calvin Shikuku. You can engage me there. I post a lot of stuff about greening, climate change, mobile journalism because I believe stories make people and people should learn to tell their own stories so that um it is not distorted. >> Yeah. >> Amazing. We have had such an interesting discussion here and it has been a great and beautiful time but everything that has uh start has an end and we have gotten to the end of our discussion today as a young person we've said that to me that season the grown-ups and now we are grown up there's no saying when I grow up again we already grown up so uh when you get that opportunity do not joke around do what you ought to to do. Give it your all because at the end of the day, opportunity does not come to you twice. Yes. Make sure that when you get a chance, you give it your all. We have been in the morning with Bessie Blessing. You're going to find her at Bessie Blessing on all her social media platforms. And this has been Y in the morning here on Y254 channel. I have been your TV host of the year. Yes, here's our our award guys here. Here's the award that we won after the very many votes that we got to vote. And thank you so much once again for voting for me as the TV host of the year. It was such a great and beautiful um time for us as we went to go get it. I told us that we would celebrate and here we are celebrating Asant Sana for your support, your love and your continuous uh being there for me. We keep doing this uh we keep showing up because at the end of the day why in the morning is the best morning show for the young people and this is the best place that you can ever be on a Wednesday morning. Yes, but for now we are going see you tomorrow. My name is Eliza Kimi but do not go anywhere because you still have a lot lined up for you. Have yourself a beautiful and amazing day. We love you so much.