[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”African youth liberating the future” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”83px” custom_margin=”50px||70px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” sticky_enabled=”0″ title_font_size_phone=”50px” title_font_size_tablet=”83px”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”|0px||0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Globally, 52% of the world\u2019s population is under 30. Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of the Sub Saharan population aged under 30.” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” title_level=”h2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
This is all on the backdrop of the expected population growth of 1,5 billion people by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the year 2050, by far most of it happening in Africa. This makes clear that the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>world\u2019s future rests within the African continent. Whether it is ecologically (60% of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>uncultivated arable land) or by demography, what will happen in Africa will largely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>influence what will happen with\u00a0humanity as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n The possibility clearly exists to catalyse systemic change by building opportunities for African youth through self-liberation and self-organisation, allowing for\u202fself-designed models of development, from the bottom-up both personally and collectively.\u202f\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/thefifthelement.earth\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pexels-oacthecreator-10604068-scaled.jpg” alt=”Three kids with a camera” title_text=”pexels-oacthecreator-10604068″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/thefifthelement.earth\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/banner-martin-bekerman-391453-unsplash-1526359627051.webp” alt=”Three kids with a camera” title_text=”banner-martin-bekerman-391453-unsplash-1526359627051″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n By asking critical questions, an environment could be created among African youth and various actors, to raise awareness and realisation of this opportunity. It could lead to: \u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The African continent has deep knowledge about resilience and adaptation in crises to share with the world. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Together with partners, we developed recommendations and experiments to transcend gridlocks in African development practices<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-20px|||||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#f7f6ee” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|phone” custom_padding=”25px|25px|25px|25px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”width: 30% !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element_phone=”width: 100% !important;” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”width: 30% !important;”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/thefifthelement.earth\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/T5E-Podbean-Thumbnails-scaled.png” title_text=”T5E Podbean Thumbnails” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” z_index=”10″ enable_caption_text=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”width: 60% !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element_phone=”width: 100% !important;” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”width: 60% !important;”][et_pb_heading title=”We kinda need a revolution \u2013 podcast series” admin_label=”Heading: Title” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Lato|700|||||||” title_text_color=”#051935″ title_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This special series of podcast episodes features guests drawn from a cross generational network of politics, business, research, and educational settings from different regions in Africa. It explores hot-topic issues relating to improving intergenerational collaboration in business and governance.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/thefifthelement.earth\/podcasts\/” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Episodes here” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|1px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_divider color=”#BB8135″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Empowering Africa\u2019s youth to shape self-determined futures, catalyse bottom-up development and drive transformative change across society, governance and global sustainability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5338,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1080","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[],"tags":[66,74,76,75,77],"thread":[29],"class_list":["post-5336","activity","type-activity","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-africa","tag-decolonisation","tag-governance","tag-self-liberation","tag-youth","thread-reconciling-worldviews-across-cultures"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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