Spotlight on Kabwata Development Youth Centre Project in Lusaka

On 14th August 2020, Mr. MIZUUCHII Ryuta, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia attended the handover ceremony for the Grassroots Human Security Projects titled “the Project for the construction of Kabwata Development Youth Center in Lusaka”.

Mr. Succeed Mubanga, Director of Planning and Information on behalf Hon. Brian Mushimba, Minister of Higher Education, His Worship Mr. Miles Sampa, The Mayor of Lusaka, Ms. Grace Mtonga, Director of Civic Forum on Housing and Habitat Zambia and other guests, totaling about 50 people were also present at the ceremony and cerebrated the handover of the newly constructed building to the Given Lubinda Foundation, the main operator of the Center.

The project, amounting up to 103,106 US dollar, aims at improving the access of academic and vocational skills for youth and thereby contributing to better employment opportunities for their lives.Kabwata is one of the oldest low income settlements where over 170,000 people live.

In this area, economic factors have hindered the youth from accessing tertiary education.

Besides, most schools in the area do not have adequate facilities such as computers.

This has hampered their opportunities to gain basic ICT skills and other vocational skills required for employment.Once operational, it is expected that 200 youths will be accommodated at the Centre and will receive training courses such as computer technology, carpentry, music and fine arts thereby improving academic and vocational skills and making them better placed for employment.Ambassador MIZUUCHI stated in his remarks that “This Youth Centre, once it becomes operational with it capacity of 200 people, will contribute to improve the access of youth to academic and skill development giving them better employment opportunities. The initiative that is being launched today in the form of handover of the Youth Centre is only a modest step. However, by combining the forces of teachers, community members, young people, and the politics, we will certainly have the power to overcome this difficulty.”At the ceremony, 92 second-hand desk-top computers were handed over to the Given Lubinda Foundation by Mr. Dino Bianchi, Managing Director of TOYOTA Zambia Ltd, representing four Lusaka-based Japanese companies. The companies are: TOYOTA Zambia, TOYOTA Tsusho, JTI Leaf and Kansai Plascon which responded to the call for the donation.