Return Youth Week to tackle environmental degradation — DC

District  Commissioner (DC) for Central Region District of Dowa,  Alex Mdooko has asked authorities to consider reintroducing Youth Week Programme to address environmental degradation whilst preparing and empowering the youth with skills and mindsets needed to adapt to future economic trends.

Mdooko (2nd left), Newa-Banda (in red gloves) and one of the young people sweep to signify the opening of the cleanup campaign–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu

Mdooko observed that abolition of the Youth Week Programme at the dawn of the multiparty democracy in the early 1990s was a big mistake because it robbed the nation of a platform for youth empowerment by teaching them various skills for social and economic development.

The DC made the remarks on Thursday when he launched a Cleanup Campaign by youth clubs in coordination with Dowa District Youth and Sports Office.

Mdooko stressed that positive youth development programmes, including the Youth Week Programme, have the potential to unleash economic participation of young people and their families and communities.

The DC made the remarks in an interview on the sidelines of a general cleanup of the Dowa Market, which youth clubs conducted in coordination with the District Youth and Sports Office.

The goal of the cleanup campaign is to create a clean environment to the traders and customers in the district’s markets and other public places such as health facilities.

Mdooko said reintroducing Youth Week would help Malawi address some urgent challenges such as environmental degradation and solid waste management.

“When some of us were in primary and secondary school, we used to have Youth Week whereby the youth would join their parents in working to take care of the environment. Of course, that is history, but my argument is that as the future generation, we need to come up with something like Youth Development Week, which would act as a vehicle for empowering the youth with skills needed for social and economic development,” he said.

He further stated that such an initiative could promote the spirit of patriotism and ownership among the youth over development projects taking place in their areas.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Follow us in Twitter

8 replies on “Return Youth Week to tackle environmental degradation — DC”