Malawi Govt to give youths more opportunities – Chihana
Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Enoch Chihana said on Friday government was taking all necessary steps to ensure that youths in the country were given opportunities to participate in development projects.
Chihana was speaking in Salima during the International Youth Day Commemoration.
“Youths in Malawi represent 55 percent of the population. The statistics emphasise the need for the country’s leadership to ensure the youths are given job opportunities so that they take part in national development.
“In order for us to give the right services to the youth we require a youth policy, but the present draft policy is outdated so I have requested my office to consult the youth and draft a new policy which I will take to cabinet and later to parliament,” said Chihana.
Chihana further said as part of creating jobs for the youths, his ministry will soon reopen the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDEF) so that the youths access loans and be self employed and self reliant.
“Currently I am visiting all YERDEF groups in our country,” said Chihana.
He revealed that as one way of ensuring that there was no politics in the scheme, the guidelines have been rewritten.
UNFPA country representative, Athanase Nzokirishaka, emphasised on the need for educating, protecting and empowering young people so that the country develops.
“We need to significantly increase our efforts in creating employment schemes in the country,” said Nzokirishaka.
The event was celebrated under the theme “Building a Better Malawi, Partnering with the Youth.
