Seminar for Youth

April 26, 2021

For the first time in the history of the Notre Dame Zinduka Women’s Center, at least 92 young people benefited from a three-day Awareness Seminar. This took place in December 2020 and was continued in March 2021. The youth seminar was in response to social and moral polarity that has become a serious issue.

They say that what you do not deal with will deal with you. Many young boys are on the street, using drugs and alcohol, and young girls are dropping out of school due to pregnancy. Most of these young people are being brought up in single-parent homes.

The youth of today should know their roots and their future as well. The consequences they face are the result of their choices and decisions. It falls upon the adults in families or other support groups to help them through the difficulty times of raising a child without a father or obtaining money to feed their growing family. The purpose of the seminar was to put more focus on their future.

The holistic youth seminar was planned and executed by Sister Mary Kellen, with the support of her community members, the leaders of the women’s groups, along with the nearby parish priests, the youth leaders, and other people of good will. At first it seemed only a dream, but in time with new ideas, the program became a reality. Sister visited the parish priests and shared the idea with them of having such a seminar. They received it with great enthusiasm and encouragement. The youth contributed Tsh.5,000(=2.00 USD) as registration fee for the seminar since they were fed and the facilitators were given a stipend.

Professional persons facilitated the youth sessions each day, giving them input on life skills, faith in the contemporary world, youth lifestyle, entrepreneurship, sustainable development, etc. Sister Mary Margaret, SND, enlightened them on-sex education. They also had a chance to strengthen their relationship with the Lord at the Canossa Spirituality Center through the guidance of Sister Salome, from the Daughters of Charity Congregation. Everyone found the whole experience life giving and fruitful. They look forward to more seminars in the future.