Youth It or Lose It
The Chair, alongside partners from Bolivia (IBIF), Colombia, and Suriname, are collaborating with the Youth it or Lose it initiative. This initiative, led by Tropenbos International, seeks to motivate and support youth from tropical forest landscapes to protect their communities' livelihoods and Mother Earth.
Rural communities all across the world are facing a common challenge: an increasing number of their youth are leaving in search of work and education opportunities. Out-migration affects communities and youth alike, it leaves communities without the important collective labor needed for land management and social cohesion, and youth feeling detached from their home.
Some of our work in the Chair has taught us that despite the struggles that youth face in their communities to find sources of livelihood and opportunities to engage in decision-making, they still have a strong connection with their territories and people. How can youth's perspectives and ideas become central when addressing these problems? We are sure that to build solutions, they must come from youth. Our role as organizations, practitioners and academics who wish to support them then becomes to collaborate with them to develop their capacities and leadership so they can express their agency.
The Chair co-holder, Dr. Jim Robson, collaborates with the Instituto Boliviano de Investigación Forestal (IBIF), Tropenbos International, and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) to support a group of Indigenous and Afro-descendant youth from the Amazon rainforests in Bolivia, Colombia, and Suriname who together work to protect their communities.
In their Manifesto, this youth presents their goals and desires for the future and explain how they are working to make them a reality. They have named this process Tejiendo Katumare (weaving a basket). The Manifesto includes 5 key points that guide their collaboration:
- Guarantee the life of Indigenous and Tribal people from the Amazon.
- Respect autonomy and livelihoods.
- Ensure land rights.
- Support local initiatives.
- Empower youth to be part of the change.
In honoring this Manifesto, the Chair and our partners continue to support youth by attending their gatherings when requested, helping them with their logistical needs, and co-creating outreach products and events, especially peer-to-peer dialogues. We are grateful for this opportunity to listen, learn, and collaborate with these fantastic young leaders. Their work reinforces our conviction that through collaboration, a better future is possible.
You can read the 2024 Youth It or Lose It Manifesto here.