Different Contexts, Common Aspirations: TeenAlive Marks International Youth Day Celebration with Over 30 Young Voices in Buea
“Purpose is not given to the young. It is discovered in the courage to imagine a future different from the one they were handed.”
This spirit of discovery came alive yesterday, 14th August 2026, as TeenAlive, with funds from GIZ-BMZ through UNFPA, under the Woman Eh! Wuna Place Dey project, celebrated the International Youth Day with over 30 youths at the Buea head office, under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations
TeenAlive is not just a women-led organization. It is a youth-led organization, with over 90% of her staff being youth themselves, a truth that shaped every part of yesterday’s gathering.
The celebration took the form of a round table discussion, bringing young people together to reflect deeply on what the theme means for their lives. Guided by thoughtful questions, the youths explored what shapes young people’s lives today, what a successful future truly means to them, and what they want from education.
They spoke candidly about their aspirations for employment and economic independence, and named the things they hold most dear: safety, good health and wellbeing, meaningful participation, equality, peace, dignity, and the opportunity to develop their talents. The conversation also turned to the skills young people need to navigate today’s world, including the shifting terrain of social media and technology, and to the importance of youth voice and participation in every space that concerns them. By the end, the discussion moved from common aspirations toward collective action, youths naming not just what they want, but what they are willing to do to get there.
Young people may come from different realities, yet many share common aspirations for education, opportunity, dignity, safety, wellbeing, and a meaningful voice in shaping their future.
Their voices deserve more than a moment, they deserve a movement. Join TeenAlive in creating spaces where young people are not just heard, but heeded. Follow our platforms, engage with our youth-led initiatives, and be part of turning shared aspirations into shared action.
