Half the world’s population is under 25. But across the world young people are often overlooked, left out of decision making, and left with little say over what happens in their lives.

Life for young people in Somaliland can be really difficult – there is high unemployment and drug abuse is widespread. Immigration to Europe is a terrible ordeal but one which young people dare to undertake to escape the crushing poverty of their country.

But there is hope. Stephen Mwalo works at SONYO, the Somaliland National Youth Organisation. He’s a Youth Rights Advocacy Adviser, and supports organisations all over Somaliland to include young people in the work they do.

Young people, despite being the majority of the population in Somaliland, have a particularly tough time. Youth participation is poor because Somaliland is a highly patriarchal society, where the elderly dominate.

Million Minutes will be supporting the work of Stephen, and other people like him, so that young people’s voices are heard in decisions that affect them in Somaliland and all around the world. To make that happen, we’re partnering with Catholic development charity Progressio.

Progressio works by placing really skilled people like Stephen in local organisations, supporting them to help people to overcome the barriers that keep them poor.
Find out more about Stephen’s work.