By James Mwale
Government has empowered at least 24 youths with technical vocational skills in Senior Chief Chilooko in Ntchisi district under the first phase of the National Youth Service (NYS) programme.
Speaking during a spot check visit Monday at Malomo Trading Center in the district, Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire said the five-year country-wide programme, which targets 40,000 youths, is part of government’s fulfilment of Agenda 2063 under which youths take centre stage.
“It is impressive to see that our boys and girls are being equipped with these skills and we plan to empower more in the second phase (of the programme),” said Mkandawire who further encouraged the “graduates” to operate in cooperatives to ease the process of loan access under the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).
He said Malawi 2063 Agenda, whose goal is to see the country being self-reliant, is highly dependent on agricultural commercialization and industrialization which could be achieved through adult human capital development.
“We have so many young people that are not in any kind of training and are not employed, and even more who have not gone far with their education. And for us to achieve Agenda 2063, we need young people with skills that can have them employed or better yet enable them to venture into high earning businesses and in turn contribute to our country’s economic progress.
“That is why it is important that we take on board young people that are just loitering around with nothing to do to put them under the National Youth Service programme and equip them with the necessary skills that will grant the economic independence,” he said.
In his remarks, Senior Chief Chilooko hailed government for the initiative, saying apart from youth economic empowerment, it has also largely served as a diversion to the youth from self-destructive habits like alcohol and substance abuse and premarital sex affairs.
“The youth are now busy with acquiring technical skills and serving as role models to their peers other than engaging in destructive and life threatening habits,” said Chilloko.
The 12 of the youth, who have been operating in youth clubs, have so far acquired fashion and design skills while 12 others have been drilled in brick-laying expertise.
As a gesture of giving back to the communities, the brick layers have built a house at Senior Chief Chilooko’s court vicinity and plan to build sanitary facilities for girl students menstrual health at Ntambalala Primary School. They also plan to build, for free, houses for the elderly in their area.
The tailoring graduates have, among other initiatives, sewn school uniforms for needy students of Mbomba Primary School.
The programme, which is being implemented through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is being championed by the Technical, Entrepreneurial, Vocational and Education Training (TEVET) Authority.
