Do you know the median age in the USA? It’s 38 years. But what if our population was overwhelmingly teens and young adults?
Many nations in the developing world face exactly this challenge! Huge swaths of idle youth with no skills, no plans, no hope are targets for terrorists and other radical movements that offer them meaning or purpose.
This week’s article is by one of my former students at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology. She writes about the challenges youth are facing in Ethiopia, where the median age is 17, and 60% of the population are under the age of 25.
Ethiopia has the world’s 12th largest population (112 million), yet is still one of the poorest nations. How it addresses its youth is a bell-weather for the 21st century.
Three Reasons Ethiopian Youth Need Coaching
by Abenet Legesse
I developed the inspiration on the importance of mentoring and coaching from my study on leadership and development at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology (EGST).
EGST is organized in such a way that students have an opportunity to meaningfully interact with each other, learn from professors who live what they teach and get connected with quality curriculum enriched with prominent authors and thought leaders in subject areas. Our teachers were very much committed in bringing the most out of us. Dr. Rich was one of these professors who used to take us for lunch individually and just listen to us (our vision, challenges…).
I have seen first-hand the importance of people who willingly invested in my own life (professional, personal and family). Most Ethiopian youth are struggling in so many areas of their lives due to absence of coaches. Through my engagement with the youth in different ministries and the life encounters of my family, I have been attempting to do my bit in an informal way.
I was so excited to join the Addis Ababa Coaching Network group because of the academic seminar on “The Transforming Power of Coaching” delivered by Dr. Rich at EGST on Feb. 22, 2019 reignited my passion on coaching.
I strongly believe that this network will be a great platform for three reasons so that we can be God’s instrument in helping our community to realize their full potential:
- To empower myself in handling coaching in formal way so that I live God’s call in my life fully;
- To enhance my commitment by joining hands with other people who have the heart and the mindset to listen to and walk alongside of others (youth, families, couples) who are in need of coaching by building an accountability and support circle;
- To encourage and empower others to be coaches in their areas of influence.
I believe coaching is what we need the most to help my community flourish at all levels.
The major reasons for the importance of coaching in Ethiopia include:
a) Undue pressure exerted by the social norm and education system on the younger generation.
The existing norm/system mainly prescribe or imposes on what the younger generation should study or specialize as their future career rather than helping them cultivate their potential and live their life to the fullest.
For example, students who specialize in science (medicine, engineering etc…) are given high regard in our community than students who study social science (history, language, etc..). The idea of having career coaches who guide students in their career direction is not very much known and practiced in our education systems.
The existing system both inside and outside the church is making the community to be passive learners and to be afraid of asking questions as well as challenge leaders. This is affecting our mindset from aspiring big and solving our social problems by ourselves.
b) Lack of commitment in equipping families and developing leaders on biblical based approach to family ministry.
I came to realize this from discussions I had with family ministry leaders and my experience in my local church. As a result, Christian marriages/families are being exposed to a multi-faceted challenges such
as high divorce rate, lack of parenting skill, lack of intimacy and so on.
A young family member once said, “most parents of the youth in my circle scare me so much.” When I asked her why she explained to me the form of barrier that is built between parents and their children.
She goes on to explain that most youth in her circle do not have meaningful connection with their parents, they are not interested to express their life struggles with their parents rather they prefer to look for their ungodly friends to get their questions answered.
She is seeing it firsthand how they are being drifted from the right path. What are the priorities of our ministries? How are we disciplining the homes? I believe that it is high time for us to invest in developing
leaders or marriage/family coaches.
c) God has blessed Ethiopia in a number of ways. One of her [Ethiopia’s] blessings is its younger generation under the age of 25 that is more than 60% of its current population.
They are the future of this nation in advancing God’s kingdom. Therefore, for our nation to flourish we need to invest in our youth! I believe one of the reasons for the struggle (alcoholism, drug addiction, absence of life meaning, unhealthy parental relationship) of the younger generation in Ethiopia is absence of enough support systems inside and outside churches. We mainly need coaches who are willing to sacrificially serve and get alongside of our youth.
My name is Abenet Legesse. I’ve been married for more than twenty years and have two daughters. I am a leadership development and business administration professional with more than 20 years of experience. I serve in premarital teaching in my local church and also engaged in organizing different platforms (forums, seminars) on marriage enrichment and parenting.
Caring, sharing, listening show you care. This young lady’s article demonstrates she has learned the value of coaching. She will make a difference in the lives of many others, who in turn, will hopefully positively affect the lives of others.