BUILDING A NATION IS IMPORTANT TO ONE’S COUNTRY. HOW CAN TEENAGERS CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THIS ?

Many teenagers see their civic roles as only starting when they enter the working world. This is because they see themselves as being powerless to change anything before that and therefore, postpone any responsibility towards the country. But little do they realize that there are roles that they can assume, no matter how small, to help improve life in the country.

One such role is that of pressure groups to raise awareness of important social issues in the country. The voice of the young can make itself heard in areas like conservation of the environment, protection of wildlife, as well as the arbitrary raising of school fees without consultation with the relevant groups. These are issues that directly impinge on our lives and thus should be taken note of by us. Furthermore, we can also put pressure on irresponsible advertisers who discriminate against certain groups in the society or even use sexually explicit messages or visuals in their promotions. By showing that we care about our society, we can make a start in ensuring that sound moral values and correct practices prevail.

We can also help the community by taking an active role in raising funds and even volunteering as workers for the less fortunate. Old folks' homes and other welfare groups are always in need of volunteers to help them. Thus, by offering our services on a weekly or monthly basis, we are building a caring society that will augur well for the future. Simple tasks like cleaning the homes, entertaining or listening to the old folks, or doing voice recordings for the visually-impaired are all within our means and infinitely more meaningful than shopping or hanging out at 'shopping centers.

In the end, the best thing that people my age can do for the country is always to avail themselves of the opportunities that are presented to them so that they are able to arm themselves well with the knowledge and skills to contribute to the society in future. There are many things that we cannot do now, like influencing public policies, but we can prepare ourselves to be ready when the day comes for us to play our part. A great deal of investment in both effort and money has gone into nurturing us as young leaders of tomorrow, and we must not ignore our roles. In the end, embracing our responsibilities to our society is a big step in helping to improve life in our country.