Ministry of Youth and Sports plans to create 17 000 jobs for young Malawians through the Jobs for Youth Project worth $4 million (about K3.4 billion) funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Under the project, the ministry has already constructed teaching facilities in Karonga, Nkhotakota, Neno and Phalombe districts where young people will be trained in small-scale mining, textile manufacturing, agriculture, and information and communication technology.
Speaking during a tour on Friday to assess progress on the construction work, line minister Richard Chimwendo Banda said the project has also supported the setting up of business incubation centres and has provided internship opportunities for young people to give them work experience.
“The project is aimed at creating jobs and job opportunities for the youth. We want to achieve this by training young people to enhance and strengthen their skills and then give them opportunities with start-up packs and market linkages,” he said.
The minister said the training centres are located in each region, but will target all youthful Malawians willing to enhance their skills in the listed trades.
He said: “For instance, we have the Reserve Bank of Malawi, with support from the Ministry of Mining, who are buying minerals from Malawians. These are grouped in cooperatives and no one is training them. The centre in Karonga is an opportunity for such miners to get training to add value to what they are already doing.”
Senior Chief Mwilang’ombe of Karonga said the project will ease the problem of unemployment in the country.
“In my area, most young people are jobless and indulge in illicit behavior because of idleness. We are happy that the government has come up with these centres to enhance our young people’s skills and create opportunities for them,” he said.
