Over 70 Kitwe youth cooperatives apply for empowerment funds
Written by Millennium on January 13, 2022
Over 70 Kitwe youth cooperatives apply for empowerment funds
Kitwe, January 12, ZANIS—Kitwe District Commissioners, Lawrence Mwanza, says over 70 newly formed youth cooperatives have submitted applications for youth empowerment funds.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kitwe, Mr. Mwanza, said the response from youths forming cooperatives in readiness for the youth empowerment funds has been overwhelming.
He said this shows how ready young people are willing to be helped.
He said government now has to assess the submitted business applications so that those with viable proposals can be given the money when funds are released.
“The business profiles that have been submitted will be scrutinised and those cooperatives that will have viable proposals and have a proper focus and understanding of what they want to do will be given the money.
He explained that government will monitor the businesses for the youth cooperatives that will be empowered to ensure that they are successful.
The District Commissioner also stated that youths will be trained in line with the business venture which they will undertake so that they are provided with the necessary skills.
He however warned that those who will get money and take the empowerment programme casually will not be given a second chance.
He said government is serious with uplifting the standard of living for the youths and to eradicate poverty among the young people, the majority of whom are unemployed.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mwanza has reiterated government’s commitment to guaranteeing safety at the copper slug dumpsite commonly known as black mountain.
He said government is still working on modalities to ensure safety for the youths when the mining activities resume.
“It is unfortunate that the black mountain is in Kitwe but we are not benefiting significantly from it while the Chinese are making money from there, we need to start benefiting as a district,” Mr. Mwanza said.
He has meanwhile urged the Chinese involved in mining activities at the mountain to respect the local people and the Zambian laws regulating the mining sector.
Mr. Mwanza also appealed to government to allocate a bigger portion of the black mountain to the youths so that more young people can be empowered.
He further urged youths in the district to be patient as government works on modalities for proper and safe mining activities.
In October last year, Mines Minister, Paul Kabuswe, banned all mining activities on all copper slug dumpsites in the Copperbelt province in a bid to devise safe mining modalities.
ZANIS/
