Lusaka youths get K18.7m empowerment boost

By MUKWIMA CHILALAGOVERNMENT has empowered 53 youth cooperatives in Lusaka with K18, 700, 620 and recruited 596 interns in the district.The empowerment initiative is part of the multi-sectoral youth empowerment programme which was launched by President Edgar Lungu on August 15 this year.Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development Emmanuel Mulenga says the initiative is aimed at improving the well-being and livelihood of youths.Mr Mulenga was speaking he graced the event to empower youth beneficiaries under the multi-sectoral empowerment programmes for Lusaka district,Mr Mulenga said Government has demonstrated its commitment to addressing poverty, unemployment and inequalities that the youth are experiencing.He noted that President Lungu wants to partner with the youth in the building of the nation through youth involvement in businesses such as petroleum, construction manufacturing, mining, agriculture and transport.Mr Mulenga stressed on the need for young people not to spend much time on social media but rather innovations which can build the country.He urged youths to take advantage of the K470 million which has been rolled out through his ministry.“You may wish to note that for Lusaka Province to date, we have recruited youth cooperatives to a total sum of K18, 700, 620. You will recall that the multi-sectoral youth empowerment programme at national level was launched under the theme Youth, Key to National Development,” Mr Mulenga said.“This is in recognition that there is no meaningful development that can take place without the effective participation of the youth of the country’s population. It simply means you the youth define how Zambia looks like today and how it will look like tomorrow.”And speaking at the same event, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo noted the gesture by the Ministry of Youth signals Government’ responsibility to uplift the living standards of its people and also to make sure that youths and women are empowered.