LILONGWE (Maravi Post)—Youths from Traditional Authority Kabudula in the outskirt of Malawi’s capital Lilongwe on Wednesday at least breathed a sigh of relief following the official launch of Youth Arise for Skills and Entrepreneurial Development (YAfSED) Project at Kabudula primary school ground whose aim is to reduce youth unemployment.

The project, so Maravi Post has learnt, aims at equipping the young people with skills in different sectors like tailoring, brick laying, welding and fabrication as well as carpentry and joinery.

With the financial support from TEVETA, the project is targeting 250 beneficiaries in the area by the end of this year with over 80 students already trained in Brick laying, Carpentry and Joinery, Tailoring and welding and Fabrication among other areas.

In an exclusive interview, Dr. Ndione Chauluka, TEVETA’s Executive Director who graced the function expressed gratitude saying that the initiative is in line the country’s head of state Peter Mutharika championing spirit of vocational skills for young people.

“The Program is very crucial especially to the youths of this area as it is also in line with what President Mutharika always say of investing in the youth that they become fully fledged eventually to be able to stand on their own. After attaining skills on entrepreneurship, we expect the trainees to stand on their own by employing themselves and others,” said Chauluka.

On her part, Joyce Chitsulo, Ndi Tsogolo Langa’s Executive Director— a local non-governmental organization which started the implementation of the projects since 2015 said that the initiative was bearing fruits.

However, she bemoaned lack of training structures which contribute to low enrollment.

“It’s our obligation to train more youths through a fledged community development Center which is in the pipe line. Currently, we are using people who are already skilled to train these youths.

“But, when we have the development center, more young people will be recruited for drilling in the different courses with expectation that they become economically independent as we have engaged a local bank to grant the youths with loans after the completion of the training that they start businesses”, disclosed Chitsulo.