MYDI bridging the information gap among youth
Innocent Mgutshini / Thubelihle Dube
MATOBO- Matobo Youth Development Initiative is making an indelible mark and changing lives of the youth in Matobo, Matabeleland South. The local NGO is punching above its weight with regards addressing challenges of the youth and bridging the information gap among young people who constitute the majority in Zimbabwe.
Community Podium, in partnership with Cultural Information Trust, toured Matobo district last week to assess issues affecting youths in the area.The team met with the Matobo Youth Development Initiative Director (MYDI), Mr Decent Dube to discuss issues affecting young people in the area.
Speaking to this publication, Dube highlighted the impact his organisation has had on young people and also shared some of the success stories of the MYDI. He asserted that the organisation has grown to become “the voice of the voiceless” by addressing a plethora of challenges faced by the youth in Matobo.
“Matobo Youth Development Initiative is a youth centred organisation which seeks to address challenges faced by young people. It ensures that they access information to help them make informed decisions in developmental issues, gender issues which include gender based violence, democracy and governance issues. MYDI strives to bridge the information gap among young people in Matobo,” said Dube.
The youthful director revealed the activities conducted by the organisation as well as the impact those activities have had on the youth.
“The organisation has been carrying out initiatives meant to empower young people and the community at large especially by equipping them with critical knowledge and platforms to participate in development, accountability and transparency,” said Dube.
Despite lack of resources, MYDI continues to doggedly fight for the cause of young people. It has been instrumental in encouraging local youths to register to vote in the upcoming elections slated for 2023. The organization has also engaged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on behalf of youths to try and make the commission more accessible to young people in the area.
“As an organisation we have also tried to educate our youth on the importance of voter registration and voting even though the turnout is still low. We also visited ZEC to see if we can make special arrangements to get people registered. In their response, they told us that if we could provide transport for them, they could come over to the local rural communities to register our young people.
We are also trying to build relations with humanitarian organisations so that they can invite us to their events.The challenges we face include lack of funding for smooth running of programmes and a general lack of resources,” said the MYDI director.
The organisation runs a magazine, Matobo Community Magazine which covers community issues in the district. According to Dube, the objective of the magazine is to amplify community voices so that they are heard.
MYDI intends to reach out to as many young people as possible to conscientize them so that they understand and fully utilize the opportunities around them.
