This Youth Day, Let’s Reignite the Spirit of Civic Activism – Especially for Better Healthcare

By Tania Joffe, Founder of Unu Health

Every year on the 16^th of June, South Africa stops to remember the courage and conviction of young people who stood up for their rights in 1976 — youth who, against all odds, sparked a national movement that helped shape the future of our country.

But Youth Day isn’t just about remembering the past. It’s also a call to action for all of us to take a stand against inequality.

The youth of 1976 embodied restless courage, confidence, and belief in a better future. Today, we are again faced with urgent struggles, ones that demand we draw on that same spirit and challenge the status quo, especially in healthcare, where inequality still defines too many peoples experience.

Where you live, what you earn, or who you know should never determine whether you can access a doctor or get a diagnosis. But in South Africa today, that is still the reality for too many. Healthcare remains deeply unequal. And dignity in the system often comes down to privilege.

At Unu Health, we believe it’s time for all of us – not just young people – to channel the energy of 1976 and become change makers in our own right. We need to reignite the belief that a small group of committed individuals can, and always have, changed the world.

“Youth activism changed the course of South Africa’s history. It can change the future of our healthcare too,” says Tania Joffe, founder of Unu Health. “We need everyone to leverage the remarkable advancements that technology, partnered with people, enable and create solutions that put people before bureaucracy.

The health issues facing South Africans today, especially the youth, go far beyond just access. Mental health is in crisis, unemployment being one of many drivers, worsening stress and anxiety, and many preventable conditions are missed because screening and care is delayed or out of reach.

We have an opportunity now, by harnessing the spirit of youth activism, together with the tech innovations available in healthcare, to do better. Change does not need a title or platform – it starts when ordinary people take action.

So, this Youth Day, let’s honour the past by stepping in to its legacy. Let’s be inspired by the youth of 1976 – by their courage, their clarity, their refusal to accept a status quo – and let it move us to action. Activism doesn’t live in history books. It lives in us.

For more information, please visit www.unuhealth.org