As part of the implementation of Youth Skills Challenge Support Programme by COMSIP Cooperative Union, a total of 32 youth clusters have been mobilised to form cooperatives and trained in pre-cooperative member education to build their capacity in running businesses.
COMSIP’s Cooperative Development and Investment Officer, Paul Kamwendo said the cooperatives are aimed at helping them to operate and grow their businesses in a collective approach.
Kamwendo made the remarks at the closing of a five-day training for Hope Youth Cooperative in Dowa.
The 32 clusters working towards establishing cooperatives comprise youths from 10 districts that received technical and vocational training from the COMSIP Cooperative Union.
Through these cooperatives, the youths are embarking in different small-scale enterprises including carpentry, welding, tailoring and electric installation among others. After being trained in cooperative management, Hope Youth Cooperative from the area of Senior Chief Dzoole B in Dowa is now set to take off.
Director of SMEs and Cooperatives in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Limbikani Kachiwaya has encouraged more youths to form cooperatives for them to create a unified approach to penetrating the country’s business domain.
The vocational training programme has enlisted a second cohort following the release of 673 youths who graduated in 2003. The programme is being funded by the World Bank and Social Protection Multi Donor Trust Fund.
