Colombia – A Liberian youth advocate, James Papy Kwabo, is in Colombia representing the country at a two-week bilateral youth Exchange program between Liberia and Colombia.
Kwabo is a Youth development worker, founder and Executive Director of Youth Talk-Liberia (YOTAL), Inc. a national youth accredited organization that works in Zorzor, Lofa County.
The two-week exchange program, which is entitled “Youth Exchange program for the strengthening of Youth Organizations through South-South Cooperation,” is an initiative by Government of Colombia to strengthen bilateral relations with countries of the West African Sub-region through its embassy in Ghana.
The program started since the 18th of October and will end on the 29th of October, 2017; with eight youths selected from various public and private institutions in Ghana and Liberia to participate. James is the only Liberian participating in this exchange program on behalf of Liberia.
While in Colombia, Kwabo is meeting and interacting with national government officials, youth groups as well as learning the cultural practices of the Colombians with a plan to applying some of the practices in Liberia in an effort to strengthening existing youth groups and grass roots institutions.
Meanwhile, he is appreciating the Government of Liberia through the Ministries of Youths and Sports and Foreign Affairs for allowing the country to participate in what he terms as a result-oriented approach to global and bilateral youth development programs.
He added, his experience in Colombia is rewarding and fascinating in all aspects of the program as the South American nation of Colombia is a wonderful country with diversity of cultural practices; the most common being arts and crafts.
It can be recalled, the government of Liberia through the Ministries of Youths and Sports and Foreign Affairs , from September 24, to October 6, 2017, supported the conduct of the Liberian version of the program which witnessed the presence of a Colombian Youth development worker, Nicolas Martinez.
The Liberian version of Exchange Program was coordinated by Youth Talk-Liberia (YOTAL), Inc.; and brought together over 60 young people to discuss wide range of issues focusing on, Nonviolent elections, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship, Youth Volunteerism, Youth Peace building in post-conflict situations among others.
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