The four-day policy boot camp organized by Phalombe Youth Arms Organisation (PYAO) in Mulanje district came to a successful close on Sunday afternoon, equipping about 50 young people with essential skills to become active change-makers in their communities.
The training, held under the Nzotheka Project, which receives financial and technical support from National Democratic Institute (NDI), aimed to empower youths to effectively engage in policy advocacy and hold duty bearers accountable.
The youths were drawn from youth clubs and development committees under Traditional Authority Mabuka in the district.
Councillor Mike Skinner of Milonde Ward, in his closing remarks, urged the participants to utilize their newfound skills to bring about positive change in area. He emphasized the importance of holding leaders accountable, which would lead to more responsible governance.
"I expect you to engage with duty bearers like myself in constructive and solution-focused advocacy for the benefit of our respective villages. Use this knowledge to ensure that we bring about positive change in development and governance matters. I would like to thank PYAO for selecting the Mabuka area for the implementation of this project," he said.
Chairperson for Mabuka Youth Network, Chimwemwe Khawula, encouraged his peers to share their knowledge with other members of their respective youth clubs, amplifying the impact of the training. He expressed gratitude to PYAO and NDI Malawi for the opportunity.
"Let's share this knowledge with our fellow young people in our youth clubs. I believe many will come to understand what advocacy is all about, which will make it easier for us to engage duty bearers on important policy issues in the future. With a supportive community that understands our goals, we will have a stronger foundation for our advocacy efforts," he said.
Mulanje District Youth Officer, Richard Juwawo, encouraged the young people to remain vigilant and actively participate in community engagements, providing constructive input.
In his remarks, Joseph Before, a Director of the PYAO board, hoped that the training would improve the youths' perspective on youth development in the district, leading to positive change. He also encouraged them to take on leadership challenges.
The policy boot camp aimed to equip young people with knowledge on youth participation in political and electoral processes, as well as the skills to engage effectively in policy advocacy, thereby promoting youth development and community empowerment.
Meanwhile, Nzotheka project coordinator, Chikondi Magalasi, has expressed his satisfaction with how the youths in the project implementation areas are understanding the project's concept, and he believes that more youths will become well-versed in political matters and advocacy by the end of the project.
"I am excited to see the young people in our project areas grasping the concept of advocacy and political participation. By the end of this project, I am confident that we will have empowered a new generation of leaders who will effectively engage in policy advocacy and drive positive change in their communities." ," Magalasi said
A six-month Nzotheka project, which started in March this year and is expected to phase out in August, is being implemented in the areas of Traditional Authorities Kaduya and Mabuka in Phalombe and Mulanje districts, respectively.
