President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and youth leaders drawn from all districts under the affiliation of National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) on Friday held thought-provoking discussions on how they can collaborate in youth empowerment interventions in Malawi.
During the interface meeting, which was held at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, the youth leaders outlined challenges young people face in their efforts to realize their potential.
Among others, the youth leaders cited lack of opportunities in areas of employment and access to loan facilities as some of the barriers hindering their active participation in the social and economic development of their country.
They therefore implored President Chakwera and his government to urgently address these challenges, stressing that this is key to unlocking their potential.
In his response, Chakwera assured the youth leaders of his personal and administration’s commitment to addressing the cited challenges.
Writing on his WhatsApp Updates Page afterwards, the Head of State said he was excited that the two parties shared useful insights on how best they should collaborate to empower the young generation in their various undertakings.
“I am delighted to note that all anxieties brought to our attention by these young people are already encapsulated in my administration’s youth-centric development agenda as outlined in Malawi Vision 2063. To empower our youths, my administration has positioned youth-friendly strategies and programmes across all sectors of human development,” said Chakwera.
And in his remarks at the Kamuzu Palace during the Presidential Youth Leaders Dinner with the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM), Chakwera described young people as the country’s game-changers in the nation’s pursuit for economic recovery, wealth creation, job creation, and food security.
He acknowledged that no country can transform itself without the involvement of young people.
“I call you game-changers because wherever our productivity is being increased exponentially through the implementation of the ATM [Agriculture, Tourism and Mining] strategy for growth in Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining, it is being increase through your efforts and ideas. I call you game-changers because wherever our governance institutions are becoming more accountable and efficient, they are changing through your advocacy,” he said.
Chakwera reminded young people that being young is a great asset as it provided an opportunity to make decisions that have the potential to either make or break the society.
“Being young is a powerhouse, not a problem. As the Apostle Paul once told a young man named Timothy who was unsure about whether he would make it in the fast moving world of Ephesus, so I say to you tonight: Do not let anyone look down on you because you’re young. Tonight, I toast victory to your youthful leadership, health to your youthful mind, success to your youthful ideas, and triumph to your youthful energy,” he said.
