Call for Unity in recognising the potential of youths

New Ziana – A local youth organisation, Elevate Trust will partner with government,
churches and relevant stakeholders to fight drug abuse among young people with statistics
showing that 71 percent of the country’s prisoners are between 15 and 30 years.
Most of these are incarcerated because of either direct drug abuse or due to matters arising
from drug and substance abuse,
“We are working with the government, churches and other stakeholders to do away with
drug abuse. We are intending to cover all the provinces by doing workshops with the youth
in order to empower them with skills. A collective effort is needed to do away with drugs.
Together, we can shape a brighter future where no young person is left behind.”
“Our agenda is to make sure we reach not only the ten provinces but rural Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans have talented and intelligent people but they lack innovation,” said Linda
Chapoterera Programme Administrator of the Elevate Trust
Brian Nyagwande of the Zimbabwe Youth Council also told New Ziana that there are
equipping teachers with the relevant knowledge so that they can be better positioned to
deal with youths who suffer from drugs and substance abuse.
“Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation has a number of programmes with
development partners in ensuring that trainers (teachers) are equipped with relevant
teaching skills. Training of trainers schemes are in place with different stakeholders
including private sector. Furthermore (they will have) exchange programmes with other
countries like China for teacher training.”
The two were speaking at a commemoration of World Youth Skills Day in Harare on Friday
where calls we made to find new ways of dealing and responding to this problem.
Corporates and non-profit organisations were also asked to come on board as they too had
crucial roles in building future skills and creating employment opportunities for youths.
Addressing the press conference Dr Thokozile Chitepo the Permanent Secretary for Youth,
Sport, Arts and Recreation called on the need to capacitate teachers to deal with the
problem.
“Teachers need to be skilled with technology as the world is moving forward. Government,
through my Ministry has embarked on a drive to establish at least one vocational training
centre in every district to ensure alternative education pathways are made available to
disadvantaged youths and communities.
“We have already opened 43 Vocational Training Centres to equip the youth and 25
satellites. Technical Vocation National framework were approved two months ago.
Zimbabwe has to produce quality and standard products in all sectors,” said Dr Chitepo

“Young people should be skilled and learning should be a lifelong process. Zimbabwean
youth should be competitive and have accreditation of the studies with SADC and even
excel internationally,” she said
Mike Kamungeremu, the President of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce
(ZNCC) said statistics by Zimstat showing that 71 percent of prisoners are between the 15 to
30 years make sad reading.
“Youth should stay away from drugs. What will be the future of the country be with drunk
youths? We are helping the youth with skills to start businesses as is being done by youths
in other countries who are running big businesses. It is important to engage and train youths
in various fields,” he said adding that they were already doing it in Polytechnics and
universities.
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day, to
celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment,
decent work and entrepreneurship.