Benguela: The Angolan government launched, this Tuesday in Benguela, the second edition of the National Program for the Training of Young Volunteers, an initiative integrated into policies promoting youth participation and a spirit of solidarity. The minister of Youth and Sports, Rui Falco, who presided over the event, stated that the program's objective is to prepare young people to actively contribute to the development of society.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the minister emphasized that volunteering should start with simple acts of solidarity and the ability of each citizen to look at others with respect, attention, and willingness to help. He noted that volunteering should not be perceived as a complex activity or one confined to organizations, but rather as an individual attitude rooted in love for one's neighbor and the desire to be useful to society. 'Volunteering is a personal choice. Only those who love themselves and assume they can be useful to others are volunteers,' he stated.
In a ceremony attended by the governor of Benguela Province, Manuel Nunes Jºnior, the secretary of State for Sports, Paulo Madeira, and other personalities, Rui Falco considered that small gestures, such as greeting, asking someone about their difficulties, or offering help, can contribute to improving people's quality of life and transforming social relationships. He therefore appealed to young people to adopt a more supportive and understanding attitude, avoiding constant criticism of others and prioritizing collaboration in solving problems.
He also highlighted the role of the Scout Movement, an organization with more than 60,000 members in Angola, as an example of young people dedicated to serving others. The minister advocated for expanding the volunteer network through existing organizations and individual acts of citizenship and solidarity. "We are volunteers if we dedicate ourselves to others, and we are worthless if we do not," he stressed, arguing that no one lives in isolation and that building a better society begins in the family nucleus and extends to the community and the country.
The minister linked volunteering to the values of responsibility and service to society, encouraging young people to take an active role in building a more supportive and participatory Angola. He mentioned that training young volunteers and agents linked to sports could contribute to the massification of physical activity and create new job opportunities in the sector.
The initiative aims to combine the spirit of volunteering with skill acquisition, preparing young people to intervene in communities and pursue professional careers in areas related to sports. Rui Falco reaffirmed the importance of promoting a culture of solidarity and civic participation among young people, considering them fundamental to building a more cohesive society oriented towards the common good.
The first edition of the National Training Program for Young Volunteers was launched on April 27, 2026, at the Michael L. Kennedy Auditorium of the Catholic University of Angola, in Luanda, as part of the April Youth Day.
