Bwalo Likule Network, a network of university students and alumni [from public and private institutions], says the country’s rate of socio-economic development can be propelled if people embrace new ways of thinking about their own development.
Bwalo Likule Network’s National Coordinator Andrew Kaponya
This was said during the unveiling of the Network in Blantyre on Saturday with a call to young people to participate in political development of the country.
The Network’s National Coordinator Andrew Kaponya said the Network’s primary targets are Malawian young people regardless of their political and religious affiliations, among others.
He aid they will be mobilizing people towards mindset change programmes.
“The network is geared towards re-defining the role of young people in supporting efforts in the socio-economic development of the country. We value mindset change as critical to national development.
“The network believes that only when Malawians leave aside their political differences and support efforts to promote the living standards of people, that Malawi shall achieve its development goals,” said Kaponya.
The National Coordinator further claimed that Malawians are divided based on issues of political, regional, tribal as well as religious affiliations.
“We have learned with deep discontent over elements of negativity, unpatriotic and disunity. Malawians lack self confidence over their own strategic agenda that has reflected in their being unpatriotic and negative about issues surrounding their own growth agenda.
“Mindset change is a critical thought process that invites every Malawian to review the way we do things, and more importantly our role in socio-economic development,” said Kaponya.
Among others, the Network will be mobilizing and engaging young people in that thought processea of mindset change and its relation to national development; and roll out projects that will promote active participation of young people in socio-economic development and democratization processes of the country including taking up leadership roles, and choosing leaders.
A pioneer project for the Network will be running under the banner “Unite for Change” aimed at uniting young people I various political, religious and tribal divides towards a common goal of achieving national development; promote issues based politics among Malawians; and to encourage participation of young people in political development of the country.
Bwalo Likule Network, a non-governmental organization, was established in 2016 and was legally registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act of the laws of Malawi in 2017.
Originally, the Network started off as Inter-University Forum for Development as a grouping of intellectuals that were discussing development issues that were affecting young people in the country.
“We currently have members in most colleges in Malawi and we look forward to expanding in the next few months,”he added.
