River of Life prepares 50 youths for employment

At least 50 young people from Nyezelera in Phalombe on Tuesday graduated with certificates in various vocational skills after undergoing a six months training sponsored by the River of Life organization’s youth development center.

Executive Director for River of Life in Phalombe, Mark Dzimbiri said 80 percent of the youths that graduated are orphans and those coming from low income households.

Speaking during the graduation Dzimbiri said the organization aims at training the youths to make them competitive on the job market.

Dzimbiri said the organization noted the high rate of youth unemployment in Malawi which stands at around 40 percent and considered it necessary to play a role in equipping some youths with skills that could walk them out of unemployment

“The current youth under-utilization is not good for development and as an organization we believe that it is only when we make full use of our youths that we can progress in development. No young person should be left idle if we really need to develop,” said Dzimbiri.

He further called on government to facilitate TEVETA’s accreditation of organizations providing such trainings in order for their graduates to be able to find jobs.

Commenting on the call, Acting Youth and Sports Officer for Phalombe, Edward Malumero said his office was aware that the process of schools’ accreditation has commenced at TEVETA.

However, he said there was need for all institutions that provide vocational training skill to fulfil TEVETA’s conditions for accreditation.

Malumero further commended the River of Life for considering youths of Phalombe in its vocational skills program which he said would make them self-reliant.

“We need more of such interventions in our country if we are to quickly reduce the youth unemployment. Government is doing its part but there is need for everyone to take part as many youths are still unemployed and some have not even attained any skills to prepare them for employment, ” said Malumero.

One of the graduating students in Welding and Fabrication, Josephy Jasten said the training was a life changer to him as in the past he had no hopes of ever getting any skills training to enable him stand on his own.

Joseph said he hopelessly stayed at home after dropping out of school in Form three until the River of Life identified him for the training.

Among the 50 young people some graduated with certificates in welding a fabrication, computer skills and Tailoring and Designing.

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