Chiradzulu youths are demanding a written agreement from aspirants that will show their commitment of uplifting them beyond 2019, observing they have suffered enough.
The youths through their forum District Youth Network said this as the journey to 2019 tripartite elections continues, when politicians use the youths in various ways to amass votes.
Experience has shown that most youths are used as campaign tools during elections but are later dumped with nothing to hold on to.
In an interview, Chairperson for Chiradzulu District Youth Network, Grivin Manosha said this time they want to do things differently as compared to the past.
“For a long time we have been clapping hands for our leaders who later ignore us once we voted them into power,” he said, adding most leaders do not fulfill their campaign promises towards the youths.
Manosha said Chiradzulu is one of the districts where youth economic empowerment is on the lowest side because most of them are jobless and have no businesses.
“This time we want it to be a win-win situation whereby we will sign an agreement with our aspirants on what they will do for us when they win the elections.
Some of the things that we want are vocational skills with start-up capital and materials, business loans and education opportunities,” he said.
He further said the Community College which is in the district does not provide start-up materials, leaving graduates idle after completing their studies.
Meanwhile, 1,000 youths in the district have been trained in various skills such as carpentry and bricklaying among others, with financial assistance from Save the Children.
Chiradzulu District Youth Officer, Peter Ben said the Save the Children-funded Programme has so far started bearing fruits as graduates are provided with start-up materials.
Ben added that in the next few months, government will start disbursing loans to youths under the banner ‘jobs for youth project’ aimed at empowering them economically.
“Apart from this, the project will also accord youths to acquire knowledge of writing business plans for smooth running of their businesses,” he said.
