* As stewards of tomorrow, the youth must be on the forefront driving change and shaping the future
* Our strategic plan must align with MW2063 and youth policies that are in place
* To empower young people to actively participate in the country’s development
By Wakisa Myamba, MANA
Programs Officer for National Youth Council of Malawi, Ashan Cossam says they are geared to promote youth participation in the implementation of the MW2063 national vision through a strategic plan they are formulating.
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Cossam was speaking on Saturday in Karonga during a stakeholder consultation meeting for the development of the Youth Council’s 2024-2029 strategic plan.
He said the strategic plan is aimed at harnessing the potential of the countrys youthful population, emphasising the pivotal role of youths in realizing Malawi’s long-term aspirations for inclusive prosperity.
“As stewards of tomorrow, the youth must be on the forefront driving change and shaping the future,” he said. “Our strategic plan must align with MW2063 and youth policies that are in place to empower young people to actively participate in the country’s development.
“The consultation sessions being held across the country are providing a platform for youth representatives, non-governmental organizations and council officials to voice out their challenges and aspirations,” he said.
Ashan Cossam
On his part, chairperson for Mbande Youth Network, Walusungu Kaseghe lamented obstacles faced by young entrepreneurs in accessing loans and financial hurdles hindering their education pursuits.
“We are failing to meaningfully participate in sectors like agriculture and education due to difficulties in accessing loans from money lending institutions,” he said. “However, through the strategic plan which the Youth Council is formulating, we are hopeful that our concerns will be addressed.”
A representative for Karonga District Youth Office, Anna Chima urged the Youth Council to integrate the insights learned from participants into the strategic plan.
The MW2063 vision captures Malawi’s 10 main aspirations, that include:
i. An inclusively wealthy and self-reliant industrialized upper middle-income country;
ii. A vibrant knowledge-based economy and a strong manufacturing industry driven by productive and commercially vibrant agriculture and mining sectors;
iii. World-class urban centers and tourism hubs;
iv. A united, peaceful, patriotic and proud people that believe in their own abilities and are active participants in building our nation;
v. Effective governance systems and institutions with strong adherence to the rule of law;
vi. A world-class high-performing and professional public service;
vii. A dynamic and vibrant private sector;
viii. Globally competitive economic infrastructure;
ix. A globally competitive and highly motivated human resource; and
x. Environmentally sustainable economy.
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In 2021, when President Lazarus Chakwera presided over a virtual graduation ceremony of Mzuzu University (MZUNI), he said: “I feel duty-bound to remind all of you graduating today that the future we want is captured in MW2063 vision which we all launched together as a nation.
“You are the first cohort of Malawians to graduate from University since that launch, which means you are the first Malawians to graduate into an era of implementing that vision.
“You may have laboured day and night for many months to study books on various subjects and to master various disciplines to get here, but in MZUNI’s spirit of embracing progressive change, I call on you to now turn your minds towards the study and mastery of that national vision we share for the future of our country.
“I call on you to study and master it not for the purpose of receiving a credential after so doing, but for the purpose of identifying some part of that vision that you will personally dedicate your life to turn into a reality.”—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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