Raised with Identity, Denied Opportunity: Youth in Kongasis County, Bukwo District
Kongasis County is full of young people with energy, ideas, and a strong sense of identity. Yet across its parishes, that potential is slowly being drained by neglect. Youth are not failing—systems are failing them.
Growing up in Kongasis today means learning early that effort does not always lead to opportunity. It means watching years pass without change, while promises are repeated and forgotten. For many young people, hope does not disappear suddenly—it fades quietly.
Growing Up Without Real Options
From an early age, young people in Kongasis County are expected to contribute to household survival. Farming, casual labor, and informal trade dominate daily life, yet these activities rarely provide stability or growth.
There are few alternatives. No industries. Limited vocational institutions. Minimal access to capital. Youth are surrounded by work, yet denied meaningful livelihoods. This contradiction leaves many feeling stuck—busy, but going nowhere.
Education That Ends Too Soon
Many youth in Kongasis County do not complete their education. Poverty, distance to schools, lack of support, and early responsibilities pull young people out of classrooms before they are ready.
Once education ends, pathways close. Without skills or certification, youth are locked out of employment and excluded from decision-making spaces. What begins as a temporary setback often becomes a permanent limitation.
Jobs, Corruption, and the Loss of Fairness
Access to jobs and public opportunities in Kongasis County is widely believed to be controlled by connections rather than merit. Youth speak of recruitment processes shaped by favoritism, nepotism, and informal payments.
Qualified young people watch opportunities pass them by, given to relatives and associates of those in power. Over time, this erodes trust and teaches youth that honesty and hard work are no longer enough.
This sense of unfairness cuts deep, replacing motivation with anger and withdrawal.
Leaving Home to Survive
With limited opportunities locally, many young people feel forced to leave Kongasis County in search of work. Some migrate to urban centers, others cross borders, chasing survival wherever it seems possible.
Migration often exposes youth to exploitation, unsafe labor, and instability. Families are separated, communities weaken, and many youth return home worse off—or do not return at all.
For those who stay behind, life becomes a waiting game marked by frustration and uncertainty.
Leadership Seen Only When Votes Are Needed
Youth in Kongasis County repeatedly express a sense of political abandonment. Leaders are present during campaigns, community gatherings, and cultural events, promising change and inclusion.
Once elections pass, engagement fades. Youth concerns remain unanswered, follow-up is rare, and accountability is absent. This pattern has taught young people that their voices matter only during election seasons.
The Quiet Cost of Neglect
The greatest damage in Kongasis County is not always visible. It is seen in youth who stop trying, who disengage from community life, and who no longer believe participation can change anything.
This quiet withdrawal is a warning sign of a generation losing faith—not because they lack values, but because they feel unseen.
The Sebei National Youth Movement identifies Kongasis County as an area where youth potential is being lost through prolonged neglect.
Kongasis youth are not asking for shortcuts.
They are asking for a fair chance to build a future.
