Workshop addresses issues facing young Africans online in the digital age

Award-winning Congolese rapper Youssoupha recently joined content creators, media professionals, and young audiences in Belgium for a conversation about the issues shaping a new generation of young Africans.

The gathering formed part of the Kouman x Brussels initiative, a cultural project bridging West Africa and Europe.

Discussions in the Belgian capital were built around the popular Ivorian podcast “Laissons Parler les Gens” or “Let’s hear what people have to say”.

It uses digital storytelling, humour, and culture to spark conversations on issues affecting young Africans and their engagement online.

Youssoupha said that while cyberbullying and harassment are part of the challenges young people face in the digital age, he urged them to focus on the positive.

“We tend to be placed in tough situations. But the hard times, they’re always going to be there … no matter the era, whatever the generation,” he said.

The rapper said that in order to move forward, young people should not “settle for just the hard part”.

“We’re going to move forward with the people who encourage us, the resources, the talents, and the strengths. That’s what will take us upward,” he said.

“The rest, everything that doesn’t help us move forward, is useless,” Youssoupha added.

Supported by the CFI Médias #Kouman project and the European Union, the panel stage at L’Horloge du Sud in Brussels also featured Congolese-Belgian digital creator Vanessa Caixeiro and Ivorian-French comedian Sacko Camara.

The day began with workshops bringing together researchers and institutional actors to discuss how digital platforms can better connect with younger audiences, encourage civic participation, and be used for social change.

Participants also took part in a listening club, discussing episodes of the podcast which tackle issues ranging from online hate speech, malicious AI-generated material, and cyberbullying, to mental health, gender-based violence, and geopolitical discourse.

Brussel-based actress Blessing Ngoy said discussing the issues was one thing but offering solutions was yet another.

She added that what she sees as “beautiful and important” is that young people today are really “trying to make a difference”.

“I think today our generations are trying to implement solutions and measures that ensure that, as much as we want to heal a society that has suffered in the past, at the same time we tell ourselves that it is possible to live together,” she said.

Ngoy said she believes society should “rely on these young people and trust them more”.

Her perspective was shared extensively by Vanessa Caixeiro during the live audience recording of the podcast.

When digital love turns into weaponised hate

Speaking with the weight of someone who has stared down the darkest corners of online scrutiny, Caixero didn't hold back about how quickly digital love can turn into weaponised hate or how vital it is to anchor oneself in something deeper than screen-deep validation.

‘You have to bear in mind that social media is like a double-edged sword: it can either make you or break you,’ Vanessa said candidly. ‘There’s no success without a struggle, and success that comes easily today will lead to a big fall tomorrow.’

Caixeiro, who hosts her own personal series titled Les Confessions de Vanessa, an unfiltered podcast where she openly shares her personal struggles, faith, and journey toward healing, encouraged the young African to be bold and audacious, believing in their self-worth regardless of the issues digital life throws at them.

Sitting right beside her, comedian Sacko Camara blended his sharp wit with brutal honesty. Sacko shifted the focus to the mechanics of online hate. He broke down the psychology of internet trolls, offering a powerful mental framework for self-preservation.

‘When people attack you online, they’re not attacking who you really are; they’re attacking the image they’ve built up of you,’ Sacko explained to the audience. ‘If you understand that, their words can no longer hurt you.’

By completely detaching his true identity from his public avatar, he explained how he uses humour and emotional distance as shields to maintain his dignity under fire.

According to UNICEF, some 34% of respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa had reported being victims of online bullying in a 2019 poll. The vast majority of victims pinpointed social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter as the primary platforms for the abuse.

For organisers Istorias Media, the creators of 'Laissons Parler Les Gens', podcasts like this present a great opportunity for fostering dialogue and conversations that can address this issue and promote social change.

“Laissons Les Gens Parler” is a podcast that is aimed at young people, that brings young people together and, above all, creates a space for these young people to express themselves. And today, we’re coming out of this event with a great deal of hope and many opportunities for social cohesion," said Marta Rodriguez Martinez, co-founder of Istoriaz Media.

According to Mame Peya Diaw, an international development expert, combatting issues like this begins first by raising more awareness about them.

"We think this kind of project is really important for African youth because it helps raise awareness, it helps us communicate, and it provides many prospects for the African youth. We encourage this type of podcast."