By Maria Tembo

Ntchisi, May 17, Mana: At least 97 youths from Senior Chief Vuso Jere, Chikho and Kalumo have graduated from a tailoring course which World Vision Malawi (WVM) in collaboration with Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) conducted in Ntchisi district.

World Vision Project Officer in Ntchisi Lewis Chiwanga said these 97 youths have been equipped with all the required knowledge and skills about tailoring and hopes for high quality products to be produced from them.

Speaking on Thursday, during a graduation ceremony of youths at Chipokosa Youth Resource Centre in the area of Senior Chief Kalumo, He said with the tailoring skills the youths have acquired, they will be able to act as role models in their communities, create jobs to fellow youth and train others on the same.

“We expect these tailors to be productive members of the community and Ntchisi as a whole and that we are planning on training other youths in the district with different vocational skills in future,” Chiwanga explained.

In his remarks, Regional Service Centre Manager for Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) Josephy Sambaya said with the startup toolkits the youths have received from WVM, they will be able to start small scale businesses.

He said these youths have also been empowered with entrepreneurship training and hopes for some of these youths to get employment from different organisations in the district.

“These youths have not only been given startup toolkits from WVM but have also received certificates from TEVETA and this is very huge as they will be able to get employment from different organisations within the country as well as outside Malawi,” said Sambaya.

Arnold Kapolo who is Ntchisi District Council Chairperson applauded WVM and TEVETA for empowering youths with tailoring skills, saying they will be reliable citizens of the community and will help in developing the country.

One of the graduates, Memory Chimombo said the vocational training is coming at the right time, as most youths in the district are jobless and advised fellow graduates to take good care of the given startup toolkits.

The trainings and startup toolkits that have been given to youths in the district are worth MK52 million.