I am the President of the Communal Youth Council of Toucountouna (CCJT) in Benin.

The situation for us, the youth of Toucountouna, is deplorable and gives food for thought. It is characterised by difficulty of accessing education and the internet; underemployment; alcoholism; the absence of playgrounds, cultural opportunities and political intrigue; and the lack of involvement of the youth voice in decision-making processes.

This situation has become worrying for many committed and organised young people, of which I am one.

The leaders of movements and associations have decided to come together to pool our efforts and raise awareness among youth people of their role as a force for improvement. Therefore, the Communal Youth Council of Toucountouna (CCJT) has been formed, serving as a framework to encourage youth action, a pledge to succeed and promoting development.

We have made significant progress in areas such as raising of awareness of sexual and reproductive health, the rights of children and young people, leadership and assertiveness.

We have also organised health campaigns, replanted trees, held recreational days and organised exchange visits.

The objective is to help our young people to flourish and contribute to the harmonious development of the town.

With the support of our FRIENDS OF MERELBEKE, we intend to undertake innovative projects to mobilise and unite young people for progress, with a vision of promoting awareness of their own needs.

The challenges are enormous; goodwill will not be enough to achieve this.

We are counting on you.

LONG LIVE THE YOUTH OF TOUCOUNTOUNA

This English translation has been possible thanks to the PerMondo project: Free translation of website and documents for non-profit organisations. A project managed by Mondo Agit. Translator: Paul Fisher. Proofreader: Scarlett Newton.