‘Govt committed to youth development’

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

The government is committed to equipping youths with knowledge and skills in a bid to create wealth and employment across the country, a  deputy minister has said.

Raj Modi, the deputy minister in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce,  who spoke at a business network dinner in Bulawayo last week, wished the youth  success.

“As we celebrate this milestone in the history of Youth Network Connect, together with the Ministry [Industry and Commerce], we commit ourselves to equipping the youths with knowledge, skills and values that guarantee economic growth and prosperity.

“Through producing entrepreneurs who are creators of wealth and employment, we join the nation in wishing the youth success in the discharge of the venerated duties,” Modi said.

He added: “Some people find inspiration to work hard from the fact that they come from privileged backgrounds, and they want to maintain those riches. Some find inspiration in the fact that they come from a background of challenges, and they want to turn things around. Whatever your motivation, whatever your driving force, that is legitimate and valid, but it is important to find a motivation that drives you every day, a motivation that makes you chase after and look up to something.”

He said youth organisations have also assisted Zimbabwe’s youth.

“…(This) business network  dinner is another part of over 10,000 youth who have successfully gone through different business initiatives offered by the youth organisations and have proceeded to venture out in their own businesses or to formal employment,” he said.

Youth Network Connect director Phillimon Nyirenda said the organisation’s development strategies are aligned to national development strategies.

“To youths you are no longer our future, you are our present meaning you have to do something now. This is the vision and it is definitely what Youth Network Connect sees when we look at the youth whom we engage in diverse situations, backgrounds and to those from most vulnerable communities and situations across the country,” Nyirenda said.

“Today we take this opportunity to conceptualise the work done, the amount of time and effort invested to get to this point, and paint that against the backdrop of the fact that over five million youth are unemployed.”