By Liberty Mutamba

IN a bid set to uplift the lives of rural youths, a security company has embarked on an initiative to train and empower young people in Gwanda South, bringing much-needed skills, creating security conscious communities and availing job opportunities.

The security company is currently training youths in Nhwali and Gungwe area, with surrounding youths also tapping-in the knowledge.

Mabela Security Company has so far trained nearly 100 youths and 80 percent of them have been employed in Gwanda, Plumtree, Beitbridge, Bulawayo, Gweru, among other places.

Last week, a group with 18 youths graduated after completing their training. This is going to help Emmanuel Masuku, who has a zeal for the security sector.

“I want to be a renowned security personnel with high integrity and ensure that am trustworthy. I did not have any place to acquire such skills and going to places like Gwanda, Bulawayo is hectic for me. Now this company is here in our area and am glad that I have completed this training. I will use this certificate to look for a job.”

Villagers also praise the initiative, asserting that it has empowered youths and it’s a step in curbing drug and substance abuse. Sabbath Makwati, one of the villagers, is convinced that programme will empower youths in the area.

“Youths in this area always wander around shops doing nothing and this programme has equipped them with skills and can take them to their promised land. Some are employed already, which is good. I am also of the view that peace will prevail in our area.  We have soldiers in our area. It is my wish that they can get employment quickly and manage to fend for their families,” said Makwati.

Mabaleka Security Company director, Adson Ncube, said he decentralised the training to ensure that people in rural areas get equal opportunities compared to those in towns.

“A number of schools/ training centres are in towns, giving those in town an upper hand. I saw it fit to decentralise training to rural people, now they are empowered. After their graduation they are going to use their certificates to acquire jobs. I also help them, because even after training I treat them as my students. I want to laud local leadership that has availed this opportunity to ensure that I conduct the training here in Gungwe,” said Ncube.

Gwanda South Member of Parliament, who is also the Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Omphile Marupi, said such initiatives were good as they empowered rural people.

“This is a good programme. Youths are out of drugs and substance abuse. Some join security systems to raise funds as they want to be enrolled in tertiary institutions. I am glad that a number of trained personnel are already employed. This is another form of youth empowerment and rural populace are taking centre stage in this programme.

“This training and employment creation will help in reducing crime and uptake of drugs and substances. We pray that these youths grow and manage to inspire their colleagues, who still have negative perspectives of such initiatives,” said Dr Marupi

Over 95 rural youths have been trained and 70 have already been employed by different security companies.