Catholic Parish in Ghana Organizes Maiden Trade Show to Address Youth Unemployment

Fr. Bawuah urged members of the Christian community and the church to prioritize empowering the youth with entrepreneurial skills so as to salvage them from depending on “non-existing government jobs.”

The Ghanaian Catholic Priest further challenged religious institutions that apart from their spiritual responsibility, they should seek to initiate programs that will enable the youth to realize their talents and skills that can attract income generation.

“If we encourage our youth to come out with what they have, what they know, gradually building upon the trust that they have on their expertise, they can come out more, better than they may think for themselves,” Fr. Bawuah said.

He added, “If we have about a million of the youth doing self-enterprising just imagine how the youth will build upon this country and this economy will become a place for us to be. It is better to build our country here than to seek greener pastures in foreign land.”

The exhibition celebrated on the World Youth Day as set aside by the church had a variety of goods on display including samples of foods, drinks and delivery packages, events and decor businesses on exhibition as well as handcrafted items and trading of exportable products and imported ones.

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Some of the youth who had an opportunity to showcase their skills at the event lauded the exhibition initiative and termed it as an opportunity for growth and networking.

Irene Esi Kuevor who had a chance to showcase her skills in juice making and décor skills said in the report that the exhibition had not only given her a platform to sell her products but also given her three-year business exposure.

 “I brought some of my juice to sell and everything is finished, as now everything is finished, and people are asking me for more juice,” Ms. Kuevor said.

She added, “Seeing other people pushing and doing something for themselves is good. It is good that the Church is also in support of us showcasing our work.”

20-year-old Sarah El-Husseini who is a business lady in the field of catering highlighted the need for the Church in the country to create more exposure for young people interested in entrepreneurship.

 “I advise the church to create opportunities like these so that the young people in the Church who want to own business can have a source of exposure,” she said, and added, “People don’t know what their Church members have in stock, so if they create something like this, it will give you an opportunity to create an exposure for your business.”

Organized under the theme, “Stand up! I appoint you as witnesses of what you have seen”, this year’s World Youth Day was celebrated on Sunday, November 21, on the Solemnity of Christ the King.

In his address to mark the 36th World Youth Day, Pope Francis urged young Catholics to “be the critical conscience of society.”

“Friends, we are not here to be enchanted by the sirens of the world, but to take our lives in hand, to ‘take a bite out of life,’ in order to live it to the full,” Pope Francis said November 21.