CAPACITATE YOUTHS, GOVERNMENT URGED

By Evans Dakwa

The Zimbabwe Youth Forum has called upon government and cooperating partners to come up with capacity building programmes to empower youths to come up with bankable projects that will succeed subsequently creating the much employment in the country.

The call emerged at a youth conference organised by the Youth Forum and attended by some parliamentarians.

`Some young people have failed to access money under the youth fund because they lack the requisite knowledge in coming with sustainable projects that attract funding,’ said Wellington Zindove, the Youth Forum National Coordinator.

Zindove, the added that capacity building is very important in the quest to ensure the youth fund is not abused by misappropriation and reduce the failure rate of projects undertaken.

`This is a matter that all stakeholders should take seriously to ensure that young people are informed and run projects that are sustainable, ‘continued Zindove.

One of the members of parliament who attended the conference Justice Mayor Wadyajena, the chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on youth, indigenisation and economic empowerment told delegates there is need for young people to remain focussed, come up with bankable projects and refrain from being used by political parties.

`Youth funds are revolving hence the need for beneficiaries to repay the loans and ensure that others benefit which in essence is creating employment for others.`

`You must desist from being used by political parties and together we can build our beloved Zimbabwe`

The youth revolving fund has been riddled by high failure rate with information gathered from financial institutions indicating that the majority of beneficiaries defaulted, a situation attributed to the lack of requisite knowledge on choosing profitable projects and managing them.