It all started in the city of Arusha, in the northern part of Tanzania – Raphael Denis began his journey as a youth leader at the age of 11. Elected by his peers as a Junior Council representative, little did Raphael know that his experience marked the beginning of a journey of advocating for children's rights and creating a safer, more inclusive world.
Growing up, Raphael’s school played a much bigger role in the lives of his classmates beyond being a place for education and learning.
For many of us, ‘school’ was about more than just academic achievement and getting good grades; it was a space where we wanted to simply be children. It was a place where we sought hope, comfort.
These experiences shaped Raphael’s passion for transforming schools into spaces where children could thrive both emotionally and academically.
Raphael’s activism is not limited to his city, highlighting a larger systemic issue: the need to equip young people with a well-rounded skill set that encompasses critical thinking and innovation, adaptability and emotional intelligence, technological proficiency, and leadership.
Skilling young people is not only important but a precondition for tackling the most pressing challenges facing our world today.
Raphael believes that empowering the world’s 1.8 billion young people with the right skills will change how the world addresses some of the most important matters – climate change, driving digital transitions, and solving the youth unemployment crisis.
In 2022, Raphael interned with Generation Unlimited (GenU), where he worked to authentically represent the experiences of young people to a broader audience. Raphael shares, "My internship at GenU helped me co-create communication materials with young people to ensure what we are communicating about them is an authentic representation of their experiences and comes across in a way that empowers them."
Raphael believes that the best way to acquire new skills is through practice. GenU’s approach to skilling involves providing hands-on opportunities and encouraging young people to learn by doing. This experience not only honed Raphael’s communication skills but also deepened his commitment to youth engagement.
Today, Raphael leads the Safe Schools project in Tanzania with Citizens 4 Change, an initiative inspired by his time at GenU. This project uses participatory photography to empower students to capture and share their own stories of safety and vulnerability at school. By giving young people the tools to tell their own stories, Raphael is fostering a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.
In addition to his work in Tanzania, Raphael serves as a member of the European Union Global Youth Sounding Board. In this role, he collaborates with young leaders from around the world to shape EU policies and programs, ensuring they are relevant and meaningful for the youth.
Advice for Future Interns
Reflecting on his time as a youth advocate, Raphael offers valuable advice for future interns and young leaders.
My advice for those who would be in the same position in the future would be to not be afraid to try new things and constantly ask for feedback, as growth happens in that process
He encourages young people to embrace new experiences, seek feedback, and continuously explore different ways of approaching tasks.
Raphael also calls on public and private partners to create more opportunities for youth to develop essential skills.
Events like World Youth Skills Day will serve as a reminder to more public and private partners to open their doors to allow more young people to come in and develop skills that will enable them to transform their aspirations for a sustainable future into actions.
Raphael Denis’s journey is far from over. He continues to work within his community and beyond, actively contributing to discussions on youth empowerment and policy development. Raphael’s story is a reminder for the importance of investing in the potential of youth and the transformative power of education and skills development.