The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Arts has disclosed that plans of holding youth indabas in each of the ten provinces or regions of Zambia are in motion. Zambia’s population is youthful and the need to leverage the demographic dividend is a big possibility.
Ministry of Youth Permanent Secretary Chileshe Kangwa told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that his Ministry is in the planning phase and is likely to make an announcement of the dates for the various regions by the end of April, 2022.
He said that the recently held youth national indaba was held to give a platform to the youths to express themselves and air their views. It was an opportunity for they ministry to explain to the young people what programmes government had for them in various ministries, such as the newly created Ministry of small medium enterprise, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Information, Ministry of Science and Technology among other ministries. He added that it was also an opportunity for the youths to know what is available for them.
Chileshe said that among the resolutions that were made are to have youth involvement at the every level of national development, youth led enterprises, youth recognition in terms of appointment at every level and have a proper review of the legal frame work in relation to youths involvement.
The Youth PS further disclosed that the recently held Lusaka Youth Indaba was just a road map of more of such programmes to come forth, he added that the ministry does not want to have youth programs that are dictated to the youths, he said that the idea is to have the views and opinions coming from the youths to inform the making of future programs.
He further added that it was important for the Youths ministry to highlight to the youths as of what various ministries have in store for them like in the ministry of Science and Technology, there is a fund called innovative fund but a lot of people do not know that they can access funding for their innovative and creative ideas, thus it was imperative for the ministry to highlight to the youths on such issues.
On the recently held national youth Indaba in Lusaka, the permanent secretary confirmed that all the 156 (hundred and fifty-six) Zambian constituencies were represented. He disclosed that the ministry has cooperating partners, the United Nations Development Programme – UNDP and various other United nations agencies, and the private sector that have invested in the same programme because they believe in the potential of young people.
