Mr Yatta

Where Is the Office? Asking on Behalf of Lainya Youths

Other youth unions elsewhere are visibly organized and steadily making tangible progress in their communities. They have structure, presence, and direction that even outsiders can easily recognize.

A tree is known by its fruit, yet in the case of Lainya Youths Union, the fruit is difficult to see, and the shade even harder to find.

Here in Juba, many young people from Lainya are present, but without a clear coordinating voice or visible institutional anchor.

There is a worrying sense of movement without direction, youths scattered in the city, engaging in overnight gatherings and informal circles, yet lacking a unifying platform that channels their energy into development. As the saying goes, a boat without a captain drifts with every wind.

What is even more concerning is the absence of a clearly recognized office or accessible structure, at least from what is publicly visible either online or on the ground. This raises serious questions about visibility, organization, and accountability. In truth, if the path is not clear, even the strongest traveler will lose direction.

We often take such associations lightly, forgetting that they are meant to be engines of development, unity, and representation back home.

The challenge, however, is not only structure, it is also mindset. Many of us tend to withdraw support the moment initiatives require contribution, yet expect outcomes without investment. He who expects a harvest without planting will only meet hunger at the gate.

It is also widely believed that once someone is elected or appointed into leadership, they must personally finance all activities.

This mindset weakens collective responsibility and slowly suffocates meaningful initiatives before they even grow. True community work cannot survive on individual sacrifice alone, it must be built on shared ownership. As another proverb reminds us, one finger cannot lift a stone.

Personally, I even wrote an application for the Youth Chairpersonship of Central Equatoria, but I could not locate the Lainya Youths Union office for proper endorsement. That experience alone reflects a deeper issue, not just of structure, but of visibility and coordination. How do we build leadership when even the entry points are unclear?

It is therefore deeply disappointing that efforts to locate or clearly identify the Lainya County Youths Association, both physically and digitally have been unsuccessful. For a county with such reputation and potential, this lack of visibility feels like a missed opportunity.

“Where there is no clear road, even the traveler with good intentions will arrive nowhere.”

Mr Yatta