What happens tomorrow?

“The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow”

This saying has become cliché for my generation. As a younger person I have constantly been encouraged to go out and vote because my vote counts, and recycle because I want the planet to be beautiful for my children. These are great sayings, but are they falling on deaf ears?

Are there a lot of young people interested in development? If you were to ask me this question before I marched through the snow to a crowded Monday night IDS lecture my answer would be “for sure!” Yet now that I have spent a relatively short amount of time in a part of the world where you can’t cross the street without nearly being hit by some sort of NGO vehicle my answer is very different.

I don’t consider usually my self a young person. Maybe its because I am the oldest in my family, who knows. However, I can confidently say that I am the youngest expat currently working and living in Goma. I don’t mean to toot my on horn here but I think there is something wrong with this reality.

If we, as youth, are constantly being told that we are the future, then as people interested in the developing world and development as a profession, shouldn't we should invest more at a young age. Learning theory in a classroom is only beneficial if it is carried out and observed in the field. Theory needs to be given context.

Jo and Lyn Lusi have been running HEAL Africa for its lifetime. They are professionals and have been doing a great job at the helm of HEAL Africa. Unfortunately the awesomeness that the Lusis bring to the table will not last forever. We need to ask the question, who will be there to catch the awesomeness and run with it when Jo and Lyn retire?

The development sector needs to become a young person’s profession and passion. In order for this to happen we need to live up to the cliché and act and believe that we truly are the leaders of tomorrow. Cause no matter how hard we try to avoid it, we are.