PS Applauds Youth Skills Programme, Calls for Scale-Up

 

The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Jameson Ndalama, has commended the Youth Skills Challenge Support (YSCS) programme for significantly improving the welfare and economic resilience of young people, while urging stakeholders to scale up its reach.

He made the remarks in Lilongwe during a high-level monitoring visit for the third cohort of trainees under YSCS, one of the key components of the Livelihoods Support Programme being implemented by COMSIP Cooperative Union under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP).

The visit was conducted alongside the Director of Youth, officials from the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA), Lilongwe District Council Team and COMSIP officials.

The visit provided an opportunity for the delegation to appreciate progress under the YSCS model, which equips youth in Social protection programmes, mainly the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) Programme and the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP), with hands-on vocational skills through a structured four-month training delivered by community-based master craft persons.

“This programme is transforming lives,” said Ndalama. “Young people are gaining practical skills that enable them to generate income and improve their living standards, it is highly commendable.”

Ndalama noted that many beneficiaries are already experiencing positive change and emphasized the need to expand reach so that more young people can benefit from the intervention.

He also commended implementing partners for the progress achieved and encouraged sustained commitment to maximize long-term impact.

Under the programme, COMSIP Cooperative Union Limited is targeting 5,000 young people for vocational skills training, with each beneficiary receiving start-up tools and business capital upon successful completion.

So far, 2,004 graduates have transitioned into the labour market, actively plying their trades, improving their livelihoods, and in some cases creating employment opportunities for others.