Mouyo Youth Resource Centre has successfully handed over startup kits to its best graduating students from Shangombo District who trained in various practical skills, including carpentry, joinery, bricklaying, plastering and general agriculture. The initiative is aimed at helping the graduates jumpstart their careers, promote personal development and fully put to use the skills they have acquired during their training.
The startup kits are intended to empower the beneficiaries by enabling them to immediately engage in productive work, create income-generating activities and contribute meaningfully to socio-economic development within their communities. The beneficiaries are students who graduated from the Training Centre in 2022, 2023 and 2024 under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) skills bursary component.
Mouyo Youth Resource Centre management acknowledged that many skilled youths face challenges in starting their own businesses due to limited financial capacity. In order to address this challenge, and with support from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Arts, the Centre conceptualized the provision of startup kits to outstanding graduates as a practical and sustainable solution to youth empowerment.
Speaking as Guest of Honour, the District Commissioner, Mr. Mubita Siyamana, commended Mouyo Youth Resource Centre for the initiative, describing it as a timely and life-changing empowerment programme. He encouraged the receiving students to put the kits to good use and to remain focused on empowering themselves economically. Mr. Siyamana further called upon more young people in the district to take advantage of the CDF skills bursary component, noting that such opportunities can transform lives when utilized effectively.
The Area Member of Parliament, Hon. Mubika Mubika, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Mouyo Youth Resource Centre for continuously empowering youths in the district. He assured the institution of a continued supply of students and reiterated the importance of graduates responsibly utilizing the startup kits. Hon. Mubika also urged young people to apply for skills training programmes that have a direct and positive impact on their livelihoods.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Mwakalombe Tembo expressed immense appreciation to Mouyo Youth Resource Centre and Shangombo Town Council for sponsoring the students through the CDF. He described the startup kits as truly life-changing and timely, and assured stakeholders that the beneficiaries would put kits to good use. Mr. Tembo also extended gratitude to the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, for making the CDF sponsorship possible.
