Minister hails youth empowerment project

Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire has expressed optimism with the youth vocation skills programme that has equipped young people from Kasungu with technical skills.

The youth received the training through Comsip Cooperative Union Limited groups as part of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Programme implemented under the world Bank-funded Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme.

Under the initiative, the youth acquired skills in carpentry and joinery, welding and fabrication and tailoring and designing.

Speaking on Monday when he presided over the launch of a tools distribution exercise to youths under the Youth Skills Challenge, Mkandawire said government made a huge investment in the programme to equip the youth with vocational skills to enable them to become economically independent.

“So, we don’t expect you to let us down. We want the best from this initiative,” he said.

Mkandawire said government has set up measures to reduce unemployment levels among the youth in the country.

“We plan to reach out to as many youths so that they are empowered and live a productive lives,” he said.

Comsip Cooperative chief executive officer Tennison Gondwe said as implementers, they aim to reach out to over 4 300 youths by 2027.

He said: “We decided not to attach any formal qualifications to the initiative so that many young people benefit from it.

“We have trained 721 youths in the first cohort and we have already recruited 1 789 in the second.”

One of the beneficiaries, Martha Chimkango, said the skills will transform young people’s lives.

The distributed tools included sewing machines, welding and fabrication equipment and carpentry working materials.

The youth also got K300 000 loans as startup capital to establish businesses.