The youth in Malawi need an extensively executed mindset change drill if they are to live to their billing in leadership and other vital roles, a youth network has said.
Bwalo Likule Network, a youth link which works with university students and alumni across public and private institutions in Malawi has affirmed a stiff outline of various projects meant to work to the good of the youth.
This is in matters of youth empowerment, uniting the youth, advocating for mindset change of the youth, capacity building and supporting the youth in taking up leadership positions among many other issues.
The network in the continued eyeing of these exercises will run a campaign that will be known as Not Too Young to Run.
-But what do the youth of Malawi need?
‘’It is unfortunate that while the youth dominate Malawi’s population, their issues are left out of discussions in forums like Parliament and the government agenda. That is why Bwalo Likule
Network wants the youth to be empowered with mindset changing ideologies that will propel their role in supporting efforts in the socio-economic development of the country,’’ Andrew Kaponda, the network’s National Coordinator told Malawi24 in an interview last week.
He added: ‘’This is why we also would want to mobilise the youth to begin to look at things differently. A change in how they perceive leadership roles among others.”
Meanwhile, the network says it will be setting up chapters in colleges to begin to go in communities to reach out to the youth regardless of their political, religious or any other distinctive affiliation. This is also in a bid to include youths outside the academia.
This will be meant to iron out perceptions that hinder young people’s productivity in leadership roles since the youth look down upon themselves in an environment already unfavorable for them.
In its network description, Bwalo Likule Network says it is convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the rate of socio-economic development of this country can be propelled if citizens embrace new ways that are progressive, positive, patriotic and unifying.
‘’Mindset change is critical thought process that invites every Malawian to review the way we do things and more importantly our role in socio-economic development Bwalo Likule Network noted that despite being in the minds of many Malawians, there has been lack of machinery to practicalise the agenda,” reads one of the guiding ideologies that the network is working on.
Among other partners the network is working together with in these lines is the National Youth Council in Malawi.
The network has since called for support from various stakeholders working with the youth on miscellaneous issues that affect them.
