Joel Tsvakwi
UNITED States based young Zimbabwean, Takura Makaza, 24 is raising the country’s flag after he was chosen to be one of the four international brand ambassadors of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Samsung programme.
UNDP is in partnership with leading mobile and telecommunications giant Samsung on an initiative to empower young people with skills that will help the globe achieve the sustainable development goals.
The programme is termed generation 17 and one of its objectives is to magnify voices, stories and ingenuity of young leaders.
Makaza said he was over the moon to have been chosen for the generation 17 initiative.
“I think it’s my job, and the private-sector’s job to figure out how to break down these big problems into small problems we can tackle,” he said.
On their part, both UNDP and Samsung said the four young leaders are revolutionaries.
“Meet four visionaries, advocates and entrepreneurs building a better future, “reads a statement released by the organisations.
“The 2020 cohort is a group of inspiring 23- to 30-year-old leaders dedicated to innovating for humanity and mobilizing global communities.
“The 17 Sustainable Development Goals – the Global Goals – are an urgent call for action around the world to protect vulnerable populations and the planet by 2030. This effort needs the determination and vision of Millennials and Gen Z. It needs their spirit of innovation and their ability to break down barriers. It needs their sense of urgency.”
The other three participants are Maximo Mazzocco, 30 from Argentina, Shomy Chowdhury, 26 from Bangladesh and Sadya Toure, 23 from Mali.
