The UNDP, Ministry of Youth and Sports, in partnership with Art and Global Health Center Africa (ArtGlo), conducted Umunthu Circles that engaged the Youth in leadership positions in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu. The workshops that lasted for 3 days were aimed at providing a platform for the youth to discuss pertinent issues that are stifling youth development in the country and how they envision the Youth Connekt platform’s role in addressing or removing those barriers to youth participation in different spheres of developmental initiatives.
During the dialogue in Mzuzu, the young leaders brainstormed and identified the gaps and challenges that are barring their vibrant participation in creating a prosperous Malawi. Among them was limited knowledge of the relevant developmental guiding documents as the youth had a chance to familiarize themselves with the Malawi 2063, Sustainable Development Goals and the National Youth policy.
“As young people, we lack interest in following current affairs and being in the know of relevant developmental guiding documents. That is putting us at the greatest disadvantage so much that we are not being taken seriously,” expressed Gomezgani Nkhoma one of the Youth Leadership from Mzuzu.
The workshops used reflective participatory activities that were aimed at highlighting the interplay of Umunthu the Philosophy, Youth Connect, and Malawi 2063 goals. This facilitated the creation of a safe, open, and honest platform for young individuals to actively engage and take the lead in initiating discussions and interventions relevant to them within the Youth Connekt initiative, focusing on topics of civic engagement, various youth policies, and Malawi 2063.
“Malawian youths need to mobilize and utilize existing resources to solve present problems in their communities to contribute to the country’s development. Let us become our own messiahs, leaving no one behind for concerted, efficient, and sustainable efforts,” emphasized James Kumdana, Youth Connekt Country Coordinator during his opening remarks in Blantyre.
To inspire the young leaders who attended the dialogues in Lilongwe, Kumdana invited one of the beneficiaries of the platform whose innovation won 10,000 USD for scaling up her project during the Rwanda Conference of Youth Connekt Africa to share her exploits.
“You don’t have to have all the required money to kick start an initiative, all you need is a vision, an idea, and the drive. The rest follows if you are working hard on your dream, and be content with starting small, in that way, you learn the necessary lessons and glow stronger by each and every challenge that you overcome along the way.” Emphasized Mphatso Kalawe.
Kalawe is the co-founder and CEO of Nkhwazi Aeros, a drone services and consultation company that leverages drone technology to offer customized solutions in multiple industries including disaster management, construction management, agriculture, mapping, and surveys. Through Nkhwazi Aeros she has managed to collaborate with notable organizations including WFP, Red Cross, UNICEF, GLOBHE, and DoDMA in projects such as responding to cyclone Freddy that affected 14 districts in Malawi.
The Chief Youth Officer in the Ministry of Youth and Sports concurred with Kalawe and encouraged the participants to be more innovative, creative, and accountable for their actions.
“Let us all remember that we are entitled to our own ideas. If we change our perspectives and how we do things, the world will also change its perceptions towards the youth,” he added.
Apart from innovation, participants utilized the Umunthu Circle to unpack a number of key issues hampering their vibrant participation towards the achievement of Malawi’s development goals. Such issues included financial inclusion for rural youth, leadership ideologies, skill development for the near future, political participation for youth (beyond hooliganism), policy analysis, migration and youth, job creation, population growth, sexual and reproductive health, and many more.
Before the commencement of the last set of dialogues in Lilongwe, a Partnerships breakfast meeting was organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports with support from UNDP Malawi and UNFPA Malawi to brief stakeholders about Youth Connekt Africa and Youth Connekt Malawi’s goals, solicit support and collaboration, and create an ecosystem of partners. During this meeting, the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Bob Chilemba, emphasized the need to invest in young people to achieve a more equitable and prosperous continent.
