By Maryam Mtengulah

Blantyre, December 19, Mana: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) through the Malawi Green Corps (MGC) project on Tuesday graduated 194 youths from Traditional Authorities (TA) Kuntaja and Chigaru after undergoing training in afforestation and waste management.

Speaking during the graduation at Chikwembere Headquarters, TA Chigaru, MGC Programme Manager, Baxton Chirombo said the ongoing two-year project seeks to address land degradation and youth unemployment.

He said: “Environmentally, there are a lot of challenges that we are facing as a country so this project is bridging the gap between employing the youth as well as restoring deforested areas and today marks the end of our environmental restoration in Blantyre district.

“These youths have also been trained in beekeeping, livestock production and other income-generating activities to improve their livelihood and income.”

Chirombo added that the project has succeeded in placing 514 hectares of land under restoration through tree planting and waste management in the two TAs where the youths were involved in constructing tree nurseries with various indigenous tree seedlings.

In his remarks, Blantyre District Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Edward Katunga commended CRS for training the youths in landscape restoration.

He however said CRS has only managed to reach out to only two TAs out of eight and said he would be happier if they could extend the programme to the remaining T/As so that the district should be relieved from issues of land resources degradation and unemployment amongst the youths.

In his remarks, TA Chigaru called for other players including non-governmental organizations to join hands in sustaining the project.

The project which is being funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is being implemented in 10 districts to advance sustainable and green economic growth while empowering youths in business and life skills.