Investing in youths for sustainable national development

Mon, 29 May 2017 11:48:55 +0000

By Sycorax Ndlovu

Investing in youths is one area each family, community, organisation and, indeed each country should consider seriously at every moment or else such a country might drift into total economic malaise and misery for many citizens in future.

Such a concern comes after reflecting that youths constitute about 70 per cent of Zambia’s population of about 14million people. This is why almost everywhere one is, one sees more male and female youths of different ages, heights and body structures; dressed in various fashions in different colours such as blue,, green, yellow and mixed colour clothes than one finds elderly male and female citizens. Nowadays, we have less grey haired or bald persons but more energetic male and female youths in every gathering or community.

Therefore, Zambia’s love, unity, peace and socio-economic prosperity depend on personality of majority male and female youths and elderly people. Moreover, the sustainability of our motto of ‘One Zambia; One Nation’ depends on what we invest in our current youths.

Don’t promote and invest hatred and anarchy in youths. Invest love, unity and peace in youths. In youths, we should invest our rich culture and Christian principles and values. Hard work is paramount in any type of investment; especially among youths.

If we don’t invest good morals and values in youths, those who might live a little longer might regret living in a country where most leaders mess up the country because during their (leaders at that time) youthful stage, they were not properly brought up.

While there are many opportunities current youths can exploit for their better future, there are also many challenges to address among which some are artificially created by youths themselves, parents and those institutions or organisations associated with youths.

President Edgar Chagwa Lungu during his speech on the eve of Africa Freedom Day outlined a number of government programmes and strategies pointing to investing in youths. Among others, bursaries to public universities, youth development fund (YDF) and resettlement scheme programmes were reported to be among government initiatives in investing in the current youths.

While government can make every effort to improve on the lives of youths; parents, guardians, every members of society and public and private sector organisations have also a great role to play in making good investments in youths.

In addition to investing in good high formal education in youths, we should also invest in youths good morals which spring from our rich culture and Christian values.

Indecent and suggestive dressing in some female parents promotes immorality which erodes not only our African culture but also our Christian values.

To promote our rich culture and Christian values, start with investing in mother languages in children. Teaching our children local proverbs is a good investment in sustaining our culture. Let the youths carry on our rich culture to the next generations.

This is why first republican president, Dr Kenneth Kaunda used to say: ‘Youths are future leaders’. To prove this point, in Patriotic Front (PF) government under President Lungu, many youths have been appointed to government positions; with some serving as members of Parliament and some as ward councilors. Such government appointment strategy should continue for the benefit of not only the youths but also the whole country.

To achieve this, freedom fighter, Christine Mulundika during the 2017 Africa Freedom Day cerebration appealed to her fellow parents to teach youths about our culture, our morals and our traditions as practiced in the village. Ms Mulundika who is also Zambia Freedom fighters Association national secretary appealed to politicians not to incite or use youths to cause political violence because Zambia comprises one people through its motto of ‘One Zambia; One Nation’.

Contrary to Ms Mulindika’s appeal to parents and politicians, some female parents, female guardians and some elderly women promote indecent dressing among female youths by not only such elderly women dressing indecently but also by encouraging young women to dress so to attract more men for whatever purpose.

While teachers and schools have a big role to play in investing in youths; especially on achieving high quality education and good conduct are concerned, it is also true that some of such responsibilities have been eroded and almost zeroed by some human rights related factors.

Nowadays, most teachers feel helpless and hopeless in promoting hard work and discipline among learners because some parents and some civil society organisations (CSOs) unnecessarily and aggressively attack teachers who use certain measures; especially some forms of corporal punishment against indisciplined learners. Such a situation has forced most teachers to resign from promoting academic hard work and instilling discipline in pupils; thereby reducing good investment in youths.

Such a situation ignites the importance of teachers and parents working together in investing in youths not only in promoting hard work among the youths in academic works but also in ensuring discipline and good personality in our children.

Issues relating to youths’ career choice are also critical responsibilities for parents and teachers working together. Careers on high demand change with time and with government development priorities in a country.

Hence, it is helpful to advise youths to choose right careers for them to have survival skills in future. Some careers which look unattractive and probably with low pay today might be on high demand and highly paying tomorrow. Vocational careers such as mechanics, power electrical, carpentry, bricklaying, tailoring, agriculture and many others might be careers on high demand in the near future. Therefore, parents and teachers should facilitate youths selecting right careers for their better tomorrow and that of Mother Zambia.

Investing in youths extends further to corporate social responsibility(CSR). Decent wages and economic monthly salaries are part of CSR in organisations. Such emoluments help most youths to further their academic and professional qualifications. Increased number of citizens with higher formal education contributes greatly both to individual sustainable development process and to that of the country.

CSR should also include favourable staff development programmes; especially to the youthful workers. Providing study loans to deserving youthful workers can also be a good investment in youths.

High quality education in public and private schools, colleges and universities is a good investment in youths. Therefore, government should ensure that each school, college and each university provides high quality educational services to the learners; especially the youths.

But for all such to be achieved, youths should also invest in themselves. No one can invest in someone with bad personality. Taking too much alcohol drinking or to drug abuse or to both ; arguing that government has not given someone a job is not only demonstrating inadequate creativity in a rich country like Zambia but it is also committing suicide because one destroys his or her own future. While you might be complaining of job scarcity, others are either getting jobs you don’t see or are finding alternative strategies of survival to earn a relatively decent life.

No generation has had paradise life. Each youth generation has had its own opportunities and challenges. In the past, for instance, primary and secondary schools were far afield apart. Boys and girls used to travel long distances; and in most cases to boarding primary and secondary schools for them to access upper primary and secondary education respectively. Colleges and universities education was also scarce in the past. For one to achieve a certain level of education, there was high prioritisation of strategic options, tireless sweating and high sacrifice. Why can’t youths nowadays sacrifice a little for their better future like we did?

Therefore, current youths are not exempted from harsh world conditions. Always remember that you are still on Earth which is partially cursed due to the sin our first two ancestors: Adam and Eve committed.

Hence, youths should also toil to earn a good living as God told our first two ancestors in the Garden of Eden. Thanks to those youths who are working to improve on their lives.

To a large extent, modern youths should feel blessed because most of the infrastructure, facilities and services such as schools, colleges and universities are in abundance and relatively within reach and also relatively affordable.

Moreover, not using Youth Development Fund(YDF), Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) loans and many other economic empowerment facilities accordingly is destroying one’s current and future benefits. Similarly, not paying back installment of such loans as scheduled or not paying completely is not only dishonesty of the highest order but it is also national economic sabotage as repaying of such loans can help other youths in the country.

With the current government’s industrialisation policy and programmes, if those youths accessing such funds use the stated funds accordingly, such funds can lead to sustainable socio-economic national development processes.

Henceforth, youths should remember 2Timothy 2:22 which states: ‘Flee from evil desires of youths; pursue righteous, faith, love and peace along with those who call on the Lord out of pure heart’.

Consequently, investing in youths is not just a responsibility of the government of the day but also a responsibility of individual, parents, guardians, teachers, learning institutions, CSO, faith-based organisations and also the private sector organisations in a country. Effective investments in youths benefit everyone and every organisation in a country.

The author is a lecturer in Journalism and Mass Communication. He is also a trainer in Public Relations (PR) and in Local Governance.  For ideas and comments, contact:

Cell: 0977/0967 450151

E-mail: sycoraxtndhlovu@yahoo.co.uk