The Tongu Cluster of Compassion International Ghana, a Christian International non-governmental organisation, has commemorated the 2024 International Youth Day celebration at Sogakope in the Volta Region. 

The 2024 International Youth Day which was on the theme “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development" was marked  on Friday, August 16, 2024.” 

Mr. Richard Baku, Facilitator for the Tongu Cluster projects said the International Youth Day is an awareness creation day designed by the United Nations (UN) to draw attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding the youth. 

The day was also used to highlight the critical role the youth play in driving innovation, fostering peace, and creating sustainable solutions to the challenges we face globally.

Mr. Baku, stated that digital transformation is one of the significant determinants for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as technologies like mobile devices, digital platforms, and emerging innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI) play a crucial role in advancing the SDGs.

He called on the youth to continue pursuing learning in all forms, as education remains the most powerful tool which equips them with the relevant knowledge, requisite skills, and critical thinking necessary to drive progress for the growth of the nation. 

Mrs. Celestine S.A. Korsi-Agordo, the South Tongu District Director of Education said the youth of today must use their creativity, energy and passion to make a difference for a sustainable tomorrow. 

She urged the youth to embrace digital technology by using social media platforms, applications and online communities to spread the message of sustainability by sharing ideas, initiatives and innovations which can spark a global movement towards a greener future. 

She further called on students to take their education seriously to become productive in future.

Mr. Franklin Elebu, an IT Consortium Ghana, called on students benefiting from the support from Compassion International to use the opportunity to learn to make the organisation and their families proud.

He urged them to take advantage of the 21st-century Technology revolution to create their own content as the world is moving fast. 

The Member of Parliament for South Tongu Constituency Mr  Kobby Woyome, said successive governments need to prioritize the development of information technology across the country to enable students in hard-to-reach communities to have easy access to the Internet.

Compassion International Ghana identifies and works to end child poverty by connecting vulnerable children with local churches who care for them by fighting malnutrition,  medical care and sharing the hope of the word of God with them.

It also helps the less privileged families of young people in the deprived communities who clearly need help, trains them in various fields, sends those willing to continue their studies to the highest level of education as well and takes care of their other family members.

Participants expressed gratitude for such an insightful programme for the youth.