Getting to know CIPE’s 2010 International Youth Essay Contest Winners

In the spirit of Global Entrepreneurship Week, today CIPE published three winning essays from the 2010 International Youth Essay Contest as Economic Reform Feature Service articles. These essays in the category of entrepreneurship and society show how youth are thinking creatively about barriers to starting businesses and what they can do to overcome those challenges. CIPE also interviewed all the winning authors on why they participated in the contest, what actions they’ve taken in their home countries to create more opportunities for youth, and what they believe to be the biggest challenges to democracy and a new generation of leaders. Please enjoy their thoughtful responses below!

How did you come across the CIPE essay contest and what sparked your initial decision to participate?

Ioana: I am always interested in competitions related to entrepreneurship so I regularly check some websites that gather this kind of information. What I liked about the CIPE essay contest was that it asked participants to write about specific problems in their country, not just about the topic in general.

Claris: I decided to try out the essay writing contest because as a young upcoming lawyer and women’s rights activist I feel that women, especially young women, in my country do not have sufficient forums where they can air their views and be included in our country’s decision-making process.

What are the greatest challenges to democracy and a new generation of leaders in your country?

Ioana: I think the main problem in Romania – and in most developing countries for that matter – is corruption. And I am not only talking about large-scale corruption, which is an obvious plague, but about the small gifts you have to make in order to get things going – you might have to “give a little something” to the policeman who is abusing his authority, to the hundreds of public employees who won’t approve this and that document because they just don’t feel like it, or to hospital employees in order to get decent medical attention. It is a great challenge to democracy because it’s a system that will always favor the interests of the rich, and it’s a great challenge to the private sector because it is just so exhausting and confusing to set up a business or invest in the country.

Deepa: A majority of politicians in my country stay in inaccessible ivory towers. Every other day, we hear of politicians implicated in some huge scams involving scores of rupees. This is unacceptable in a country where 400 million go to bed hungry every night. As a result of the widespread corruption, young people have become indifferent to the political system. The situation seems like a vicious cycle from which there is no escape.

Claris: The greatest challenge to democracy in my opinion is the whole mentality that a young man or woman is inexperienced when it comes to matters of governance and leadership and can therefore not make any valuable contribution in the decision-making processes of the nation. The older generation that has been part of the ruling class since Kenya gained her independence has a hard time letting go of their positions of power and giving way to the younger generation. The term “youth” has been misused over the years in my country to even include politicians in their 60s.

In what ways do you think youth can play a part in making governing more inclusive and responsive to the citizens of your country?

Ioana: Virtually all media companies ‘support’ one party or another, and it is extremely difficult for the citizens to get accurate, unbiased, truthful information. Young journalists could have a positive impact if they managed to stay away from the political media circus and write about what is really happening.

Etuk: Youth need to be educated and aware of their political environment. They can do this by participating in policy development, particularly at the local level, and other such activities.

Kseniya: Youth can take part in democratic governance by joining or founding a political party or activist group; participating in student self-governance at their educational institution; or doing an internship at a national or international political/public administration body.

Deepa: The most important way to make change is to be a part of the system. It is rightly said that, “If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.” Young people with a vision for their country should take up politics. The youth in India can also use the tools of democracy like Right to Information Act and Public Interest Litigation.

What do you plan to do with the prize money from the essay contest?

Ioana: I am trying to get funding to start up a social business in Romania, so this might be a good kick-off. The prize money can help me do a feasibility study and complete the research I need for the project.

Etuk: I will publish my first business and entrepreneurship book titled Bulletproof Business.

Kseniya: I’m starting my PhD in Political Theory at the moment and the prize money will be a very useful addition to the funding I’ve already secured.

Claris: I am currently conducting civic education on the new Kenyan constitution and what opportunities it presents for women and the youth. This has been made possible due to my involvement with Amani Communities Africa, a non-governmental organization that aims to build communities of peace.  The work has had its limitations due to financial constraints. With part of the prize money from CIPE I could print out simplified copies of the constitution, highlighting the gains for women and youth in the new Kenyan constitution.

What actions or initiatives have you already taken in your country to create more opportunities for youth to become more engaged in policymaking or business?

Soukeina: I have participated as a moderator in a few conferences on entrepreneurial activities  in order to encourage people to reflect on this topic. However, I am mostly interested in discussing entrepreneurship and potential projects with people who already have a business idea in mind so that we can develop it and assess its feasibility.

Temitayo: In the creative business (especially writing) I work with a friend through Bookaholic Blog to inform budding writers of the happenings in the creative industry. Through our updates that include interviews with established writers, we hope that we give new writers the needed courage to actualize their dreams of being published.

Ksyeniya: In both high school and university I’ve actively participated in and taught debating. Students from debating clubs have been invited to local and national public hearings on various youth policies where we’ve had an opportunity to present our thoughts to policymakers.

Claris:The organization I work for, AmaniCommunities Africa, does capacity building for public university student leaders on issues of conflict transformation, peace building, and non-violence strategies. We train young leaders on how they can resolve conflicts peacefully and how they can better their communication skills. Student politicians havethe vision of joining the country’s political scene after graduation and I am proud to be involved in an initiative where we ensure we will have leaders who will make a difference.

What topics would you recommend for next year’s essay contest? What would you like to hear more about from your peers around the world?

Ioana: I think it is always interesting to hear young people’s opinions on ethnic issues and ethnic clashes because it’s a constant hot topic that people don’t want to talk about anymore for the fear of saying something wrong. However, silence is not a solution. We have to get creative on topics like this because, like it or not, we have to take responsibility. The current Romanian – Roma – French triad is just an example of everyone running away from responsibility and no one trying to find a sustainable solution for the future.

Soukeina: I would like to learn about the impact of micro-credit in developing countries, notably in the case of young entrepreneurs starting micro-credit ventures. Another interesting topic would be the local impact of the financial crisis in developing countries and the ideas or initiatives of young people to help with the recovery.

Shofwan: It would be interesting to read essays on how youth activists from the whole world could connect more effectively. Another possible topic is identity. Youth is the time when we look for our true selves. With the rapid changes brought on by globalization, this is a critical time for the youth in plural societies such as Indonesia. How to solve the youth identity crisis and balance it with multicultural awareness is an important topic.

Ksyeniya: It would be interesting to have a topic on environment, e.g. how to balance economic growth with environmental protection or how to ensure democratic stewardship of natural resources. Another suggestion would be a topic on migration: whether democracies have a responsibility to accept and integrate migrants (and what kinds of them) or whether developing countries should try to prevent outward migration to preserve human capital.

If you haven’t already read the rest of the winning essays, you can check them out at http://www.cipe.org/essay/.

Published Date: November 16, 2010