Empowerment drive benefits 15 000 youths

OVER 15 000 youths have benefited from various empowerment projects being spearheaded by the Mashonaland East provincial Youth League.

The provincial Youth League, with the aid of House of Assembly members, aspiring candidates and the business community, mobilised funds to kickstart the empowerment drive.

Mashonaland East Youth League provincial chairperson Cde Kelvin Mutsvairo told The Herald that the objective of empowering youths was a fulfilment of party target goals set by President Mnangagwa.

“To date, we have about 15 000 youths in six constituencies who have benefited from the empowerment drive,” he said. “Our first move was to get the youths registered as voters.

“In Murehwa South, with the assistance of Cde Biggie Matiza, we have about 5 000 youths from all districts engaged in various projects. We gave the youths 16 wire-meshing machines and hundreds of day-old chicks in all districts.

“About 2 000 youths in Seke area are also running their own projects and we got help from the business community. The youths are also into brick laying, chicken rearing, wire meshing and sewing clubs.

“The same projects have been launched in Wedza South, Chikomba Central, Goromonzi North and Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe where we have about 8 000 youths working now.”

Cde Mutsvairo said the initiative was launched prior to the “#EDHasMyVote” campaign in Mashonaland East held a fortnight ago.

“We have been moving around the constituency to assist youths secure national identity cards so that they can register to vote,” he said. “Through the exercise, about 60 percent of the youths are now registered voters and are card carrying party members.

“On April 26, we will be in Dema, where we are targeting at least 3 000 youths in that constituency. We will be continuing with our “#EDHasMyVote” campaign.”