Workshop address issues facing young Africans 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 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, strengths. That’s what will take us upward,” he said.

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

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 tackles 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 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”.

The gathering explored new ways of engaging the African youth through humour, culture, and digital storytelling.

For the organisers, this will help young Africans to better express themselves in a way that can facilitate social cohesion, and combat hate speech and cyberbullying among other things.