There is a Kinyarwanda adage that loosely translates to: A tree can only be straightened when it is still a sapling”. The same goes for our youth.

Many idle or neglected young people all over the world end up on the wrong side of society’s divide, either through peer pressure or simply having too much free time to be idled away by mischief.

But recent events in town bring a sigh of relief that our youth have many options to avoid the death trap that has engulfed many of the young generation.

The ongoing African Youth Summit in Kigali and the just-concluded High School Idol competition have one thing in common; unlocking the youths’ potential.

Many a creative young mind will go to waste for lack of practical support and encouragement. They will fear to venture out there for lack of confidence or gnawed by an inferiority complex.

But as many youth programmes have shown, given the right support and guidance, the sky is the limit for young people. Our youth have what it takes to drive this continent forward, what they need is a sure guiding hand.

So when successive calls urging African governments to support children’s programmes by setting aside a budget for their empowerment, the calls should be heeded. This continent’s future should be built on a firm foundation: an empowered youth who have been given the necessary tools to unleash their potential.