By Chisomo Phiri
Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire has urged Malawian youths to be transformative and innovative leaders for them to drive the nation’s development.
Mkandawire made the remarks on Monday when he was presiding over the YouthConnect Malawi Expo at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
The Minister emphasized that Malawian youths should take the YouthConnekt initiative seriously in order to benefit from the vast opportunities offered by YouthConnect Africa.
He assured that the government of Malawi remains committed to providing crucial support to the youth at both local and international levels, in terms of leadership programs and financial backing to ensure their diverse talents and innovative ideas fulfil their potential.
Mkandawire highlighted the impact of YouthConnect Expo as a valuable platform for promoting visibility, networking, and collaboration among the youth in the country.
He further appealed to international organizations and partners to join hands with the government in funding various youth initiatives that have the potential to promote social and economic development of the nation.
In his remarks, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative, Challa Getachew, said youths play a great role as primary contributors to Malawi’s future forex earnings, hence the need to involve them in decision-making processes and empowering them economically.
He commended youths in Malawi for being catalysts of change in improving social-economic indicators and advocated for innovative programs like the YouthConnect Malawi Expo to create an inclusive platform for the development of all youth.
He added that UNDP will keep supporting Malawi to become an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation through youth empowerment.
The YouthConnekt platform is a regional initiative dedicated to unlocking African youth’s creative and leadership potential, fostering a mindset change, and driving transformation in civic, economic, and political spheres.
In Malawi, the YouthConnekt Chapter is implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, with technical and financial support from UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF.
The initiative represents an innovative approach that aims to connect young individuals with opportunities for skill development, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
By providing a platform for networking and partnerships focused on youth, the initiative seeks to contribute to the overall socio-economic development of Malawi.
The YouthConnect Malawi Expo has been designed to celebrate young talent, encourage networking, and provide a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
