By Chisomo Phiri
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, sharing with them motivational stories and encourage them to work hard and become entrepreneurs so as to be self-reliant in life.
Speaking during the visit, Director for Youth Innovation 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 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 with the aim of being 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 8-years boy can contribute a 10 percent to the GDP regardless of her economic status, weather a street kid or not.
My vision is to build this centre here in Malawi that will call all young Malawian innovators to come together, develop their careers, lead them into businesses and promote them to global economic contribution”, said Chaponda.
Chaponda said her vision as young leader is not to leave anyone behind to be come an entrepreneur or change maker. She said, discriminating 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 of 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 kinds found themselves in the streets and telling 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 house like what happened in Blantyre. Let us give them 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.
To the government, Chaponda called on the government to stand strong and push much for the vision 2030 with physical, mental, and financial support. She said, she will be happy if the government and its responsible Ministry for her works will provide her a space to build up a centre for her organization in Lilongwe and help her in fundraising money for the project to be executed.
” Youth Innovational Centre is open for partnership in different projects. As young African leaders, we need to work together as a team. I am calling on the government, stakeholdera and well-wishers to come out and support the streets kids. We need your presence and financial support for our events when meeting the street kids. For those who can donate items, it will be more appropriated”, she said.
In his remarks, Director of Miracle Foundation, Steve Chinsendenji thanked Youth Innovational centre for visiting the kids saying this will encourage them to work hard in life and also have feeling that they are important people who deserve contribution to the social-economic development of Malawi.
” This visitation is a sign to them that they are not alone and they should not lose hope. Am looking forward for us to work hand in hand in order 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 Youth Innovational centre for Change, Chaponda is also among the only three Malawians who have recently graduated from Youead Summit Africa Malawi with a mission to improve Malawi’s changemakers skills, and activating young people around for achieving SDGs by 2030.
The YouLead is expected to provide entrepreneurship and vocational trainings to youth and youth leaders within the Malawi.
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