Invest in youth private sector urged
By KASUBA MULENGAPRESIDENT Banda has called on development agencies and the private sector to consider investing in programmes that change young people’s attitudes and mould their characters in positive ways.
Mr Banda says young people need more programmes which change their behaviour in positive ways, develop their self-confidence, responsibility, compassion, leadership and self-motivation.
He said such programmes are needed because they also help young people to be organised and work as a team with determination to deliver service.
The President said this at State House yesterday when he presented Gold Award level certificates and badges to Chengelo School participants who attained the level of Gold Award.
The Gold Award is the highest achievement which challenges young people’s commitment, perseverance, independence, motivation, responsibility, team work and attitudes to the less privileged in society.
“As patron of the International Awards for Young People of Zambia, I am very pleased to be accorded this opportunity to present gold certificates and badges to these deserving young people who have fulfilled the requirements for this level, which is the highest in the award programme,” he said.
Mr Banda said he is aware that young people have undertaken various voluntary and challenging activities in serving their local communities, improving their talents in sport, developing their wider interests and challenging themselves through adventures into the bush.
He said the young people who received gold certificates and badges have been committed and motivated themselves in completing the gold level of the award.
Mr Banda said having gone through the award programme, the young people have now joined an exclusive group of youth around the world who have managed to complete it.
“I want to congratulate each one of you for this achievement. I know that it has taken a lot of perseverance and determination to complete the requirements of being a gold award holder,” he said.
Mr Banda thanked the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, the National Youth Development Council and the Commonwealth Youth Programme Regional Centre for Africa for spearheading the re-establishment of a National Award Authority in Zambia.
He said his desire is to see the award become available to all young people across the country.
Mr Banda said the establishment of a national office for the award programme will make it available to more young people both in rural and urban areas of the country.
Earlier, Ndubaluba director and Chengelo School Adventure Curriculum coordinator Richard Thompson said the school has been running the International Award for Young People as an independent operator for the last 12 years.
“In that time, I have seen hundreds of young people participate in this award and benefit greatly from it. One of the phrases the Award uses is ‘Challenging young people everywhere,” he said.
Mr Thompson said through the award, he has seen young people get challenged in many ways and that the group that received Gold Award level certificates and badges yesterday had been challenged by canoeing across Lake Tanganyika, fixing cars, improving their squash, football and netball skills, serving in hospitals and orphanages.
He said the challenge brings opportunities for change in young people who grow in positive ways.
Mr Thompson said the growth in character has been evident in many young people who have completed the Gold Award at its different levels at Chengelo School in the past.
“Now, we need to congratulate these young people here who have developed the necessary character to not only gain their Gold Award but also, more importantly, to help face the many challenges that lie ahead of them and their community,” he said.
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