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Knowledge sharing in action
Posted by Khanyi Khuzwayo 
on
08 July 2024, 14:00
SAST
Delegates pictured at the sharing meeting
Sharing knowledge enriches the receiver but costs the provider nothing.
FutureLife-Now! is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative currently being implemented in six Member States. Now in Phase 2, its overall goal is to promote the development of empowered young people to lead responses to pressing 21st century development challenges, in particular those related to sexual reproductive health and rights, gender and climate change. One of the key strategies it adopts is “knowledge development”, whereby all Member States can share and exchange best practices and lessons learnt, thereby strengthening regional cooperation and coordination.
The annual Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) and FutureLife-Now! sharing meeting has become a key activity where knowledge is exchanged, and this year was no different. From 26 to 29 February, 112 delegates—including government officials from all SADC Member States, representatives from UN agencies and other partners— gathered at the Premier Hotel in Umhlanga in Durban, South Africa for this year’s sharing meeting.
A special feature of the meeting was the attendance of various Southern African universities, there because of their interest and involvement in the newly-launched CSTL Research Programme, one of the topics on the meeting’s agenda. South Africa’s Department of Basic Education introduced and led some of the discussions about the research programme, while a representative from the University of the Western Cape led an interesting discussion on the CSTL Thought Leadership course. Several Member States expressed an interest in “onboarding” the universities in their countries—a good example of “knowledge development in action”.
Over 100 delegates from across the region attended the joint Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL), and FutureLife-Now! sharing meetings
Also in attendance was FutureLifeNow!’s new partner, the World Food Programme (WFP). In addition to making a financial contribution to the meeting, colleagues from the WFP led a session themed Digital Education and Nutrition, which included the exploring of links between learning and nutrition, with reference to school feeding programmes.
Other themes included over the four days were Gender, Adolescent and Youth Health and Wellbeing, and 21st Century Challenges Facing Young People. During the session on health and wellbeing, UNESCO gave a presentation on the African Union Continental Strategy on Education for Health and Wellbeing of Young People in Africa, which included an introduction to the planned Global Health Survey.
The voices of young people themselves were not overlooked, and during the MIET AFRICA-led session on challenges youth face, various young people from across the region added their contributions. Aptly, the final session of the meeting concluded with video clips highlighting young people who are taking the lead in making changes in their communities. Voted a resounding success by the participants, this sharing meeting provided an opportunity for government representatives and others from across the SADC Region to come together and be reminded of the importance of collective action and mutual support in addressing common challenges and the advancement of shared goals for development in Southern Africa.
Voted a resounding success by the participants, this sharing meeting provided an opportunity for government representatives and others from across the SADC Region to come together and be reminded of the importance of collective action and mutual support in addressing common challenges and the advancement of shared goals for development in Southern Africa.
