NGO cheers up street kids in Lilongwe, motivates them to be entrepreneurs

MALAWI: On Friday, Innovational Centre for Change ( YICC), a Likuni-based non-governmental organization in Lilongwe visited and cheered up 50 street kids at Kankodola Primary School in Mtandire, Lilongwe.

The visit was to interact with the kids, share with them motivational stories and encourage them to work hard and become entrepreneurs to be self-reliant in life.

Speaking during the visit, Director for Youth Innovational Centre for Change, Bridget Chaponda, said their organization vision centres on creating a good environment for young innovators and entrepreneurs as the name of the organization ( Youth Innovational Centre for Change) suggests, so as they contribute towards economic development of Malawi, Africa and the World as a whole.

She said at YICC, they are in line with the vision 2030 which among other things aims at empowering young innovators of the whole world.

" It's now high time that youth should stop going to school to be employed after. I would like to change this mindset that it is not too soon or late to do something as a young person. Even an 8-years boy can contribute 10 percent to the GDP regardless of her economic status, whether a street kid or not.

My vision is to build this center here in Malawi that will call all young Malawian innovators to come together, develop their careers, lead them into businesses and promote them to the global economic contribution,” said Chaponda.

Chaponda said her vision as a young leader is not to leave anyone behind to come to an entrepreneur or change maker.

She said, discriminating against street kids because of their status is not an ideal thing, for they are also citizens of Malawi and can contribute towards the social-economic development of the country.

“If we leave street kids behind, we will not achieve the SDG ( No poverty) goal. As a citizen of this country who believes in togetherness and unity, I need to come up with a solution for the needy and street kids by not looking at their economic status,” she said.

She added that the visit was also to find out how these kids found themselves in the streets and tell them what are the basic needs that the NGOs, government, and well-wishers can provide them for their well-being.

“These are people with no homes, but they need our support and not to lock them in a house like what happened in Blantyre. Let us give them a place, that will be their village so as they be able to do businesses and contribute to employment and economic development of this country. I tell you, these kids can do better in business for they are very talented and skilled,” she added.

Chaponda called on the government to stand strong and push much for the vision 2030 with physical, mental, and financial support.

The Director of Miracle Foundation, Steve Chinsendenji thanked the Youth Innovational Centre for visiting the kids saying this will encourage them to work hard in life and also have the feeling that they are important people who deserve to contribute to the social-economic development of Malawi.

“This visit is a sign to them that they are not alone and they should not lose hope. Am looking forward to us working hand in hand to change the lives of these street kids. I also call on the well-wishers to financially support our organization, Miracle Foundation to build a home for the needy street kids where they can live,” he said.

Apart from being a founder and a leader of the Youth Innovational Centre for Change, Chaponda is also among the only three Malawians who have recently graduated from YouLead Summit Africa Malawi with a mission to improve Malawi's changemakers skills and activate young people around for achieving SDGs by 2030.

YouLead is expected to provide entrepreneurship and vocational training to youth and youth leaders within Malawi.