In Their Own Words

• Author: Niccole Braynen-Kimani and Maria Jovanović

In Their Own Words Finance & Development, June 2017, Vol. 54, No. 2

Niccole Braynen-Kimani and Maria Jovanović

Millennials reflect on the key challenges facing their generation

Slideshow: In their own words

Are today’s young people hopeful or dispirited? Are they finding good jobs and saving for the future, or living paycheck to paycheck? Do they believe education is the key to economic success, or does entrepreneurship—and operating outside the established system—have more appeal for them? F&D asked youth leaders from around the world to weigh in on the challenges of their generation and whether they see themselves as better or worse off than their parents’ generation.

Our informal survey took us to different corners of the globe—to China, Egypt, France, Nigeria, and Peru. Five millennials gave us their take on what is important to them individually and collectively as a segment of the global population that is facing unique challenges in a shifting global environment.

All the young people saw their generation as being a central part of a global village, connected through technology and easy access to information, and an era of global citizenship. “This generation constructs bridges, not walls,” says Mariel Renteria of Peru. They also see their cohort as having a more entrepreneurial spirit, whether by economic necessity or through force of will.

So what is on the minds of young people around the world? Should they take a menial job just because there’s nothing better? And just what would they tell their policymakers if they had the chance? Five influential youth reflect here on what motivates or intrigues them.

PERU: Mariel Renteria

Cofounder and board member of Kunan, a nonprofit organization that supports young social entrepreneurs

Mariel Renteria is a strong believer in the power of education to encourage her country’s younger generation to develop a positive, entrepreneurial, and global vision. A deep interest in education is a key driver for young Peruvians, Mariel says. She points to a poll by IPAE Acción Empresarial in CADE Universitario, the foremost university student summit in Peru, that highlighted not only the importance of access to quality education but also a national commitment to the improvement of the education system. She applauds the Peruvian Education Ministry’s success in recruiting high-quality, committed, and innovative young public officials. “One fact that differentiates this generation is that today...