Monrovia — The newly-inducted Board Chairman of the Young Men Christain Association (YMCA) Liberia, Cllr. Samuel Kofi Woods, ll, has said a resilient YMCA must be an unavoidable mandate of the new leadership.
Cllr Woods made the statement when he and other core officers were inducted to stir the affairs of the YMCA Liberia.
Cllr. Woods disclosed that the leadership mission is to raise an army of young people for the good of the country.
Said Cllr. Woods, "This is the task we have set for ourselves. This is our mission. And together, we will collectively reach our goal. The national assembly of the YMCA embarked on giving us a mandate, a mandate to serve the YMCA. To remain faithful to the commitment of our forefathers and we intend to keep that charge. We do so with every blood in our vain."
He stated they intend to embark on the mission because of the proliferation of illicit drugs and harmful substances being used amongst young people, something he said is a serious national predicament.
"Our youth, our community has degenerated. Every community is being overrun by the ghetto. There is a drug pandemic ruining our land. We have a task, but we cannot do it alone," he said.
Recognizing the importance of coordinators, managers, the board chairs of the YMCA branches across the country, business people, youth leaders, and volunteers, Cllr. Woods said it will require the collective effort of every Liberian to support the institution to build an indigenous YMCA.
He added that they need to engage in after-school programs for young people, restore the movement on adult literacy, and meet young people where they are to have a dialogue with them.
"That's one that will be owned by Liberians, financed by Liberians. Recommitting themselves. To the possibility of what can be. And we know that with that energy. The new movement, the new wide movement Will be built. We want to see young people. We want to see our community transformed, he said.
He added, "As we draw through the rural parts of Liberia. I told our colleagues that we have to start finding ways to deal with prevention drugs and awareness in our schools and our community."
"In that dialogue, we established common ground on how we can move our future. Our present and our future is been threatened. We can no longer sit idle, he said.
He further stated that the YMCA must be the place and the space where people will come and find men and women of dignity. " This new YMCA must make a difference."
Delivering his keynote address, the president of the Liberia Chambers of Commerce, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, urged the new leadership of the YMCA Liberia to uphold the core values of the institution and to carry forward its objectives.
Cllr. Tweh stated that he expects the core of officers to bring the necessary change and transformation and impact the lives of the young people of Liberia.
Said Cllr. Tweh, "You are assuming the mantle of leadership during a very critical time in our country. We trust that you will faithfully perform your duties to the best of your ability."
According to him, the country has become fragmented, a situation that has made the future of young people look bleak and grave.
He stated that the lack of meaningful opportunities in mainstream society - a direct result of our crisis, has hampered the challenges young people are faced; and it has pressured them to use alcohol, and drugs and commit crimes.
"Collectively, we have failed in our duty of shepherding our children from infancy into responsible adults. There is no assurance that the generations that are presently coming of age will be able to adequately meet the needs of the nation and lead it."
"Our young people, especially adolescents, are confronted with numerous problems and challenges as a consequence of our crisis. Some of these problems are guns, drugs, crime, abuse, breakdown in family ties and the crumbling of basic values within our society, he stated.
"They are unable to deal with these pressures alone and in the absence of strong families, good schools and supportive community institutions to help them deal with these pressures, they succumb to the pressures and become victims. These pressures, with their terrible side effects, greatly impede their future success and threaten the security of the nation and its citizens."
Cllr. Tweh disclosed that the YMCA has a crucial role in amicable reversing the current trend by making significant progress in developing the minds of young peoples, improving their welfare and well-being, and nurturing and encouraging them.
He stressed that through the YMCA resources and expertise, they can assist in building a future in which young people will achieve health, gain confidence, make connections and feel secure at every stage of life.
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"You, the elected officers and members of the YMCA of Liberia, have to be the focal point of this change, this transformation. You have the opportunity to help create positive change. You might not be able to assist all the young people in Liberia, but at least the few you assist could be the change makers, he urged"
Adding, " Sometimes we hesitate to act because we see the problems and challenges before us as so overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable. I have found that a good way to overcome that is to break the big challenge down into smaller pieces and then take those one at a time."
"You have to do your best to figure out what are the best programs and projects that will deliver maximum assistance to the young people."
"The focus should be to ensure that the team works together in a way that everyone wants to "give it their all," and by extension, the organization performs well and renders great service to humanity."
"I believe that the youths of Liberia are destined to rise - to rise to unprecedented heights and achieve great things. With the YMCA's help, we can ensure that this happens, he said.
