By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, November 1, Mana: Executive Director for Zomba Centre for Creative Arts (ZOCCA), Pemphero Mapanje has advised the youth in the country to work together and take part in different activities for the country to make meaningful progress.

Mapanja emphasized the importance of self-advocacy, resilience and community engagement for young people.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Friday, Mapanje said the youth need to take an active role in development activities in order for the country to forge ahead with its soci0-economic growth.

“There is need to give chance to our youth by giving them the opportunity to take different roles in our society, being it in government, church and other areas. One of our objectives at ZOCCA is to work hand in hand with the youth and provide them with counseling and guidance in life,” she said.

Mapanje added that recently there has been an increasing number of school dropout, attributing it to poverty among the youth and sometimes because of peer pressure.

“Our youth are meeting with a lot of problems of which sometimes make them to think of committing suicide that is why we use to chat with such youths and give them a talk and advice on how they can handle themselves when they are in dilemma instead of committing suicide,” she said.

Mapanje disclosed that the organization is also responsible for helping the youth with sexual and reproductive health issues, encouraging them to go back to school after delivery, besides empowering with business management skills.

“We bring sanity among the youth in the community and also we act as mediators between parents and their children by bringing peace if there are some misunderstanding in the family,” she said.

One of the members of ZOCCA, Chifundo Kadzuwa said she has benefited a lot from the group, pointing out that she has learned a lot after joining the organization.

“Through ZOCCA, I have gained a lot such as sexual and reproductive health, issues about environment, it has also helped me because instead of indulging in some untoward things, I spend most of my time doing activities organized by the organization, playing netball; for example,” she said.

Kadzuwa, therefore, urged all the youth in different areas to desist from engaging in wayward behaviours, instead advised them to be responsible in bringing peace especially now when the country is preparing for 2025 elections.

ZOCCA was established with the aim of helping the youth to be tolerant with one another and making the youth to be the instruments of peace in their communities. Currently, the organization is working with the youth in Zomba District.