‘We are Africa and Africa needs change, we are Africa and Africa is hope, be the change that you want to see in the world and don’t forget Africa.’ These were some of the messages that emerged at this year’s Global Changemakers Africa Youth Summit, which took place in Cape Town.

Global Changemakers is a British Council initiative that aims to develop young activists into future community leaders. It operates across Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America and works with people aged between 16 and 19 who are confident, assertive, flexible, outgoing and active in their communities.

The British Council brings together young activists to debate issues, develop action plans and act on these plans as a global network.

The theme of the two-day forum was Deliberately Empowering Vulnerable Entities Looking to Overcome Poverty (Develop).

The summit was attended by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, South African President Jacob Zuma, Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili and Zambian President Rupiah Bwezani Banda.

Three Ugandan Changemakers met 80 Global Changemakers from all over the world in preparation of the World Economic Forum.

The Ugandan participants were chosen after taking part in an exercise that attracted 600 applications from the continent.

They were selected from a shortlist of six after demonstrating active engagement in their communities, an ability to improve the state of the world, an interest in Africa and a passion for global economic and political affairs.

Apart from the socialising, mingling and debating, Global Changemakers also had the opportunity to watch the newly inaugurated South African president address the nation.

Ugandan-born Dickson Baseke was one of the three people selected by British Council Uganda to represent his country at the forum.

Baseke thanked the British Council for giving him the opportunity to interact with Africa’s influential leaders.

‘I learnt a lot from the youth forum. For me it was platform to meet young Africans and debate with them about their views. I exchanged ideas with a lot of young people and I saw how things are done in other countries.’

Baseke applied for the Global Changemakers programme because he wanted to create opportunities for people in his community.

‘I have a great interest in community work and I thought that this would give me the opportunity to teach people in my community to take the initiative and find ways of sustaining themselves.’

Moses Ssenyonyi, programme’s manager for Youth Employment Systems (YES), an action-orientated initiative in 55 counties also attended the summit. He said the summit was one of the greatest events of his life.

‘It addressed issues that I deal with on a daily basis. Issues of poverty, HIV/AIDS, unemployment and I also learnt a lot about South Africa’s education system.

‘My interaction with an HIV-positive youth motivated me to create a space for HIV-positive people in Uganda.

‘As a teacher, the forum motivated me to develop a Community Action Plan (CAP) on how to handle students living with HIV/AIDS. With the help of teachers, counsellors and students, I will work on ways to make people living with HIV/AIDS feel loved and welcome in our communities.’

He added that presentations on the development of a CAP gave him hope that his dreams would be fulfilled.

‘I Ssenyoni said he was grateful to the British Council for the opportunity to attend the summit.

‘Networking is power; I learnt this in South Africa.’

Charlotte Kukunda, British Council Uganda’s project delivery officers said the British Council was excited to have sent its first delegation to the Africa Youth Summit

‘These people were chosen from a group of individuals who are already involved in our programmes, so it was an extra opportunity for them to further their knowledge, share ideas and exchange information with other Africans.’

Kukunda said the delegates were briefed on what was expected from them before they left Uganda.

‘The three that were selected are now our official Global Changemakers, in future we would like to have more than three, maybe 10.’

For more information about Global Changemakers, visit this page. To read blogs from current and previous Changemakers, click here. Watch Changemakers YouTube videos here. To read more about British Council events and programmes, please visit this page. Read our latest news here: News in Africa section.