Inclusive Youth Skills Development Project in Mulanje Empowers Underprivileged Youths

Malawi-The birth of Ladder for Youth and Women Empowerment (LAYWE), a youth network in Mulanje, has already begun to bear fruit for youths in the district by taking care of some skills lacking in underprivileged youths, including those with disabilities, writes Moses Chilumpha.

The organization is running an inclusive youth skills development project in Mulanje and has already helped four youths who applied for sponsorship.

According to Jimmy Makande, the district coordinator for the project, in the first year of the project, some needy youth were helped through the district social welfare and the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) offices.

"We managed to identify four youths; some had albinism and others had speaking challenges. We enrolled them at Nansomba Technical College for tailoring, fashion design, and welding," said Makande.

Innocent Mpezeni, a beneficiary of the inclusive youth development project, implemented by Ladder for Youth and Women Empowerment (LAYWE), says that the skills he received are beneficial to his day-to-day life.

"I was doing welding and graduated, and I am happy for the sponsors who paid for our fees and other necessities within the period," he said.

However, despite the training and skills, Mpezeni emphasized that there is more to be done, and he still lacks the equipment to start off on the ground as a welder. "While I appreciate what the project has done, skilled labour alone cannot do anything if I don't have the equipment to start earning. I would still ask those who can help out with equipment," said Mpezeni.

Another beneficiary, Agness Matias, an albino who did tailoring, echoed Mpezeni's problem.

"We got the training, but we lack the equipment to complement what we learned in class and start earning something. I am an orphan who must support myself and my family. It's really hard for me," she added.

Chimwemwe Gremu, the executive director of LAYWE, explains the challenges facing the organization.

"Like indicated, we are a young organization currently. We can take care of upkeep and fees for the identified youth, but we also need help from the government and well-wishers so that the purpose of imparting knowledge to the needy can be realized," explained Gremu.

LAYWE is based in Mulanje and is currently implementing a pilot project that it hopes to continue in the next five years, targeting youth and women. The organization initially targeted one Traditional Authority but took in two TAs, Chikumbu and Mabuka as pilot traditional authorities.

Agness Matias says the project is a blessing in disguise, especially for those with disabilities, because they don't have anything to do. However, the challenges are a concern.

"As the office of the Malawi Council for the Handicapped, we are still lobbying for funds, and even LADWE for Youth and Women Empowerment is still struggling to source funds for the project," she said.

The LAYWE project is expected to help more underprivileged youths acquire skills and knowledge to improve their lives.