ROTARY District 9104 organises Youth Leadership Awards
Rotary District 9104, last week, organized the 2024 edition of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), which is a program designed to empower young adults aged between 14 and 30 years through leadership development workshops, team-building activities, and inspirational speakers.
This initiative which took place at the Hephzibah Christian Center in Aburi provided participants with a platform to acquire knowledge that will enhance their skills, connect with like-minded individuals, and foster success and growth in their pursuits. The program welcomes individuals within the specified age range who are enthusiastic about community service and wish to acquire leadership skills, making it inclusive for all young leaders and aspiring leaders.
Under the theme “Empowering the Youth: Connect & Create Hope In The World,” the conference was opened by David Osei Amankwah, District Governor, Rotary District 9104, who urged the participants to acquire new skills on leadership that will help create hope in the world. Victor Yaw Asante, Immediate Past District Governor of Rotary District 9102, who is also the MD/CEO of FBNBank Ghana Limited, spoke on the topic “Believe, Begin, Become.” He underscored the importance of self-belief as the foundational step towards achieving success. He made reference to John Eades’s quote, “Without self-belief, there is no leadership” and highlighted that effective leadership requires a diverse skill set developed through experiences, self-improvement, perseverance, and adaptability.
Mr. Asante emphasized that the participants needed to be interested in developing themselves, displaying resilience, nurturing a growth mindset. He said that mentoring was critical to making young people leverage the knowledge and experiences of their mentees to keep their focus.
Other speakers at the conference encouraged participants to carry out volunteer activities within their communities, as volunteering would enable them to collaborate on various projects with others and reap the rewards of acquiring proficiency in social skills and gaining much-needed experience.
Noteworthy personalities in attendance at this year’s RYLA included Osabarima Nana Ansah Sasraku I, Christiana Adams (District RYLA Chair), Florence Maame Hagan (District Governor-Elect for District 9104), and Maxwell Odonkor from World Inspiring Network, and Mamfehene and Kyidomhene of Akuapem.
The participants of RYLA 2024 were equipped with essential leadership skills as they had the opportunity to grow their network and obtain a deeper understanding of community engagement and global citizenship. The event proved to be a valuable opportunity for nurturing the next wave of empowered leaders, who would be tasked with driving positive change within their spheres of influence and beyond. In all about 102 attendees participated in the conference.
