Platform for Youth Development Trust
Platform for Youth Development (PYD) applauds and welcomes the efforts of the Ministry of Youth, Indigenization and Empowerment and Old Mutual for the US$11 million dollars Youth Empowerment fund initiative. We believe the fund will go a long way in alleviating and rescuing young people from the jaws of poverty and unemployment. It has come at the most appropriate time when young people from universities and colleges dotted across the country and abroad continue to flood the job market.
It is our utmost belief that the fund will holistically transform the unproductive young people into industrious citizens who will contribute immensely to the economic development of Zimbabwe. We pray that the funds are disbursed in a transparent manner so that they benefit all young people regardless of political, religious, racial and ethnical affiliation. The fund has the capacity to renovate our Zimbabwean economy by creating vast employment opportunities.
The responsible authorities should work hard to ensure that the money does not benefit a few well connected and party cadres. It should be used to further the goal of empowering young people who have been desperately waiting for such a shot.
We appeal to the Ministry of Youth, Indigenization and Empowerment and Zimbabwe Youth Council to safeguard the book of professionalism, this initiative is critical in bolstering and taking on board young people to play part in economic development initiatives of the country.
Putting aside nepotism and corruption in the distribution of the fund will help in building corporate trust. The funds should be awarded on the merit of the submitted proposal not on party lines or willingness to pay bribe.
PYD’s main worry is the tendency by some beneficiaries who see this fund as freebies not to be returned. Similar initiatives have failed to work because the few beneficiaries disappeared after misusing the money.
We appeal to banks and institutions responsible for the disbursement of funds to relax certain collateral requirements so that ordinary youths can benefit. It defies logic to demand collateral security from young people who are still to make it in life. It is rather better to use the intended project as collateral security.
Lastly, we are glad that the funds have finally been availed. We have been helping a number of youths in preparing viable project proposals for consideration and we are hopeful that one or two will be successful. We will be officially submitting the proposals to the responsible authorities soon.
Inserted by PYD Information and Communications Department
Cell: +263773010331, +263773011599
