AGYO Alumni Workshop in Namibia

In October 2025, 26 committed young people from Germany and various African countries gathered for a week in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, to work together on sustainable solutions to local challenges. The participants, all former members of the AGYO programme lines Teams up! and Team works!, contributed their experiences and perspectives to translate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from theory into practice.

The AGYO Alumni Workshop offered a diverse programme that specifically combined skills development and intercultural exchange. The workshop focused on the concrete implementation of selected SDGs, particularly in the areas of health (SDG 3), education (SDG 4), sustainable consumption (SDG 12) and climate action (SDG 13). The participants developed their own project ideas, which they presented and further developed together in World Café and pitch sessions. In addition, they gained valuable insights into specific funding structures to help them make their projects sustainable.

A special item on the agenda was the workshop on German-Namibian colonial history, which was led by the partner organisation SUNI e.V.. Here, awareness of historical contexts and their effects up to the present day was raised. At the Market of Opportunities, participants actively networked with local organisations and opened up new avenues for future cooperation. The intensive exchange between the thirteen participants from African countries and Germany opened up new perspectives on global challenges and encouraged mutual learning.

Kessius from Zambia, a former participant in the Teams up! youth exchange programme organised by Don Bosco Mission Bonn and Don Bosco Youth Outreach Lusaka, sums up the lasting impression made by the workshop in his review:

"By the end of the week, I left Namibia not only with practical skills and new contacts but also with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. Learning is most meaningful when it happens in connection with others, and understanding different cultures strengthens our ability to make a positive impact."

- Kessius, participant

A week in Windhoek has resulted in the creation of a network that strengthens participants in their commitment with contacts, skills and concrete plans, enabling local change.

Furthermore, the workshop once again highlights the central role played by the African-German Youth Organisation, which has been bringing young people from both continents together since its foundation, providing them with opportunities for exchange, learning and joint action.

Since 2022, the AGYO has been organising annual international events that promote intercultural dialogue and the practical implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Last year, for example, the Shaping the Shaping the Future Lab in Tanzania took place, where young participants discussed innovative approaches to sustainable development. In 2023, intensive training on the practical implementation of the SDGs was conducted in Rwanda.