Politicians asked to empower youths

District Youth Officer (DYO) for Mzimba North Mishek Msokwa has urged politicians to help create healthier and high quality life of youths instead of using and dumping them after campaign.

Msokwa made the call, Friday at Kafukule in Mzimba district during a youth open day which was held to commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence.

“Youths are one of the most vulnerable groups who have been hardly hit by economic challenges. These include high unemployment, insufficient political representation, lack of participation in governance and developmental processes, and limited access to life opportunities and means of production.

“This is where politicians need to come in and support the Mzimba North Youth Office, which is underfunded, to implement activities which will help create opportunities for them to develop and reach their full potential which will benefit our country,” he said.

Project Manager for Livingstonia Synod Aids Program (LISAP), Vitumbiko Kumwenda echoed Msokwa’s sentiments saying youths need all the support they can get as they are also bearing the brunt of social and economic challenges.

“Devaluation has led to rising costs of living affecting particularly unemployed young peolple leading to negative copying mechanisms, including drug abuse and substance abuse,” she said.

Kumwenda said with funding from ‘Tear Fund’ they have managed to support Youth Clubs from around Kafukule by training young survivors of different forms of gender based violence who are in turn acting as mentors for their fellow youths.

In her remarks, one of the survivors of GBV Violet Chima said she almost gave up after she got an early pregnacy in 2018 but members of Kafukule Youth Resource Centre turned her life around.

“My collegueas from the club approched me and they offered me advice which helped  improve my life and now my child is in Standard one. I believe that if politicians and other stakeholders support more of these clubs with reasources and funds, alot of girls who are in tough situations can be reached.”she said.