By Wellington Sibale

Neno, February 27, Mana: Partners in Health (PIH), popularly known as Abwezi Pa Zaumoyo, has encouraged youths in Neno district to utilize vocational skills and start their own businesses.

PIH Director of Community Health, Jimmy Harare, made the remarks on Tuesday during a graduation ceremony of 12 male youths who underwent vocational skills in tailoring, plumbing, brick laying, motor vehicle and motorcycle mechanic.

PIH gave the youth start-up tools, such as plumbing equipment, sewing machines, rolls of cloths, thread and motor cycle and vehicle tools boxes worth K24 million.

Harare said the youths were trained under the project called 'Programme on Social Economic Rights' (Poser) to ensure the adolescents’ economic empowerment through their enrolment in vocational skills.

“Empowering these youths economically through the vocational skills will give them a sound financial standing,” he said, adding that the programmme was introduced to compliment government efforts in empowering young people as government alone cannot manage.

In his remarks, Neno District Council Director of Planning and Development (DPD), Charles Lomoni, hailed PIH for the initiative, saying the council alone cannot manage to reach out to the youths in many areas in the district with vocational skills.

"We would like to appreciate the effort that Partners in Health have rendered to us because on our own as a council we cannot manage due to inadequate resources and insufficient budget," said Lomoni.

One of the youths, Reuben Baluwa, expressed gratitude following his graduation, saying he acquired mechanical skills that will help him to be economically independent.

“I didn't expect that I can be a mechanic.  From today I will be a mechanic in my area and l will help my parents financially and will also repair people's vehicles,” said Baluwa.