FORTY disadvantaged youths from across Mashonaland Central Province are now
holders of different life skills certificates after getting training from local vocational
training institutes during the past seven months, courtesy of the Ministry of Youth
Empowerment Development and Vocational Training.
The 40, were trained in different programmes among them, Brick and Block Laying,
Carpentry and Electrical Engineering, under a programme themed Youth Build
Zimbabwe and were housed at the Johanne Masowe Vadzidzi VaJeso Apostolic
sect-run Centre Zimbabwe Africa High School in Mt Darwin South.
The training was hands-on as those who were learning Block and Brick laying had to
build fish ponds, fowl runs and classroom blocks at Centre Zimbabwe Africa High
School, as well as a community dip tank in the nearby Chishava Village.
Those who were learning carpentry had to roof the constructed classroom blocks,
fowl runs and dip tank, while the electricians, installed electricity at the infrastructure.
During their training, the youths also received national orientation and patriotism
lessons from National Youth Service trainers.
The Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training,
Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, was the guest of honour said.
The first intake of the youths under the Youth Build Zimbabwe programme formerly
the National Youth Service programme enrolled in 2016 and they assisted in the
construction of a two-storey “A” Level classroom block at CZA. That was an
advantage to CZA hence, school authorities saw it fit to continue the relationship with
the Ministry.
The Youth Build Zimbabwe programme engages young people in voluntary
community projects such as construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, teachers’
houses, clinics, roads, clean-up campaigns and construction of houses for the
disadvantaged, as well as participation in national disaster relief efforts.
To date, 33 145 youth have been engaged in these projects countrywide since the
beginning of the year.
“My Ministry is grateful to the Centre Zimbabwe Africa Church for this ongoing
partnership, where the church affords our youths opportunities to voluntarily serve
while at the same time acquiring skills for their livelihoods.
“The youth, also received national orientation training from National Youth Service
trainers, which instilled in them values of patriotism and knowledge for civic
participation. They have taken the role of leadership through voluntary participation
and ought to be role models of patriotism and youth community social responsibility.”
He urged them to further their studies by enrolling “at our Vocational Training
Centres to further polish their various skills”.
He also suggested to them to take advantage of available empowerment
programmes in the Ministry as well as at EmpowerBank, which is Zimbabwe’s youth-
oriented bank.
“I encourage you to stay away from drugs and other harmful substances, and to
always respect yourselves and act with dignity as leaders in your communities. Use
the knowledge and skills you have acquired here to develop your communities, and
always remember that: Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” he added.
