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| National |
| ‘Develop skills to alleviate poverty’ |
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by
Chikumbutso Ndaferankhande, 02 October 2006
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11:54:49
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The Rural Livelihoods Support Programme (RLSP), a project under the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, says skills development for rural youths is one way of alleviating poverty levels in the country, particularly in rural areas.
RLSP programme manager Alex Malembo said this on Friday when 60 students supported by their organisation graduated from Mikolongwe Vocational School in Chiradzulu, northeast of the commercial capital, Blantyre.
He said one of the pillars in RLSP is to develop skills of beneficiaries through the establishment of village polytechnics.
“These youths being trained, most of whom are orphans and school dropouts will be self-reliant with a reliable source of income through self or formal employment, and we are reducing pressure on agricultural land because these youths are being trained in off-farm activities. This will help reduce rampant land degradation,” said Malembo.
Human resources manager for Development Aid from People to People (DAPP), who run the training, Jean Phiri appreciated RLDP and Technical Entrepreneurship Vocational Educational Training (Tevet) for funding the project.
She said the community needs to be sensitised on the project so that they should come in and assist.
Mikolongwe Vocational School principal Moses Chibwana warned the graduating students against HIV and Aids, saying they should refrain from premarital sex so that they effectively contribute to the development of their respective villages.
Guest of honour at the function T/A Nkalo applauded the project, saying it has helped to reduce the burden of orphans in his area.
The graduating students were trained in carpentry, bricklaying, tailoring and tinning.
The RLSP is a government project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad).
Dapp trains the students while Tevet administers and facilitates the training and certification of the programme.
The school, which was opened in 1997, has capacity for 105 students.
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