By JOSEPH TEMBO –
SKILLS training and entrepreneurship programmes are vital components in the fight against youth unemployment in the country, National Youth Development Council (NYDC) chairperson Saviour Chishimba has said.
Meanwhile, NYDC, Training Centre Mpanshya and Buffalo Bicycle Company have partnered to train youths in Rufunsa District in bicycle repairing as an income generating venture.
Dr Chishimba said the government wanted to practically empower the youths economically through viable business ventures.
He said this in a speech read for him by NYDC secretary John Phiri during the unveiling of a dealership programme for Mpanshya Training Centre by Buffalo Bicycles Company in Rufunsa District yesterday.
Dr Chishimba said the council would help the Ministry of Youth and Sports in formulating developmental and economic policies that would stimulate employment creation and entrepreneurship skills for young people.
He said the council intended to establish a Youth Investment Fund (YIF) that would help in developing the entrepreneurial skills and kick-starting business and other related ventures among youths.
He said the council was looking at other ways of expanding existing educational facilities and vocational training to absorb all school leavers, adding that it was also in the process of decentralising its operations to all provinces to accelerate the economic empowerment of youths in the country.
The process would culminate into formation of “One -Stop Youth Skills Services Hubs” which would be used as an integrated approach to meeting the socio-economic needs of youths.
Dr Chishimba said the hubs would link learners to industries by providing learnership and apprenticeship practical training.
Speaking earlier, Buffalo Bicycle Company Sales Manager Sonny Hamatende said the dealership programme would enable learners to acquire skills and be sole dealers of its bicycle products.
Mr Hamatende said the dealer programme would empower youths economically and supplement governments in fighting poverty and unemployment among the youths.-ZANIS