Good Vibes Only: Highlights from Young and Loud 2024! 

What an Epic Day!  

On November 16, 2024, the second edition of the Young and Loud Festival took place at Mawuli School, bringing together over 4,000 young people, including students, educators, artists, and community leaders.  

Organized by the Young and Safe Project under the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Program, the festival provided a platform for youth to showcase their amazing talents, socialize, play and contribute positively to the community. 

The festival focused on empowering youth through skill development and job opportunities. It featured three main segments: the Creative Futures Bootcamp, the Street Art Festival, and the Talent Competition. Each segment aimed to enhance the festival’s theme by providing hands-on experiences and opportunities for young people to develop their skills and express their creativity. 

Insights from Gaming Gurus at Creative Futures Bootcamps 

The Creative Futures Bootcamp was a key part of the festival, specifically aimed at inspiring visual arts students to explore careers in the gaming industry. 

Led by experts from PlayProvince, a Ghanaian e-sports organization, the sessions highlighted the importance of artistic skills in gaming, with visual art students learning about graphic design, game development, and character animation. They discovered that skills like storytelling and digital painting are key to creating engaging games. Read more here. 

Good Vibes Only: Skating, Art, and Non-Stop Fun
 

Simultaneously, the Street Art Festival featured awesome skaters from WheelsGhana, a cool skating club that brings young people together. In addition, squads engaged in a variety of games like Ludo, Oware, and Draught, alongside popular e-games like FIFA, creating a lively atmosphere and plenty of mingling. 

Young people also expressed their creativity on empty murals, allowing them to contribute to the festival’s artistic vibe. At the same time, talented young artists from The Creative KIDS GH—an organization dedicated to art education and community service, painted live murals and offered face painting.  

The event was made even more exciting by lively performances that included dancing, singing, and fun rap battles.

 

Moments from the Career and Counselling Shed captured valuable resources and guidance for young attendees exploring career paths and educational opportunities.
 

Good times and great vibes! Here are some fun moments captured on the red carpet. 

Celebrating creativity: What Happened at the Young and Loud Talent Competition
 

After the vibrant Street Art Festival, the event continued with the highly anticipated Talent Competition. 

The occasion was graced by Mr. Charles Gomenu, the Regional Director of the National Youth Authority, who served as the Special Guest of Honour. Other notable attendees included representatives from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Ghana Education Service, heads of various schools, the Centre for National Culture, and the Asogli Secretariat. 

The Talent Competition began with an opening remark by Courage Komla Asase, the Project Manager of Young and Safe. He emphasized that the Young and Safe Consortium, which includes Node Eight, the Ho Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Education Service, the Ho Municipal Directorate, and the Love Aid Foundation, is dedicated to empowering young people by providing platforms like this competition. 

Courage stated, “By fostering creativity, we are not just showcasing talent; we are building a brighter future for our communities.” 

Mr. Charles Kwesi Gomenu, the keynote speaker, delivered an inspiring message, praising the organizers for their impactful work. He encouraged the youth to explore digital opportunities, highlighting their importance for the future. 

To stand out, he advised the youth to identify a digital skill and work on perfecting it from an early age. This will give them a competitive edge when entering the workforce.

 

Contestants Competing in the Talent Competition

 

This year’s talent competition featured 21 contestants competing across four categories: poetry, art, music (including singing and rapping), and dance. Each participant tackled the overarching theme “Young and Loud Festival 2024: Skills, Opportunities, and Jobs for Young People” 

Some contestants performed about the problems they see today. They mentioned issues like small-scale mining, not having enough jobs, hunger, high bills for utilities, not enough homes, and general struggles. They also highlighted the stigmatization that young women face during their periods 

Winners of this year’s Talent Competition were announced after a thrilling showcase. In the poetry category, Erica The Poet took first place, while Wise Art won in art. The music category was led by Jessica Yesutor Sowen, and Greatness Family emerged victorious in dance.  

Each winner received products from Ghandour Cosmetics, certificates, and cash prizes, celebrating their creativity and commitment to advocating for change.

 

The festival concluded with electrifying performances from various artists,  including Chief One, Nyornu, Blazebwoy, and Rizzlah Stylah, who captivated the audience with their dynamic acts. The dance group Homeboyz also delivered an impressive performance, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the event. 

The Young and Loud Festival 2024 was a resounding success, showcasing the immense talent and potential of our youth.   

Let’s work together to create more opportunities for our youth to shine! 

About Young and Safe  

The Young and Safe project is a three-year initiative that aims to address key issues such as youth participation in city governance, sexual and reproductive health, mental health support, creative self-expression, and digital employment opportunities. The initiative aims to develop an inclusive and supportive community for young people in Ho, Volta region, Ghana by leveraging the capabilities of each partner. The Young and Safe project will also increase young people’s employability by helping them build their digital innovation and entrepreneurship competencies. Read more.  

For all enquires, reach out to us via email at info@nodeeight.org  

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