Youth Invest champions youth-led community development
Victor Sibanda
Youth Invest, a youth-led non-governmental organisation whose main objective is to sensitize youths on the need to be involved in developmental programmes in their communities so that they are able to hold their local authorities accountable on issues which directly or indirectly affect them, held a stakeholder sensitisation and capacity building workshop for local authorities in Victoria Falls on Thursday.
Executive Director, Ms Nomqhele Siziba said the organisation is focused on investing in young people’s participation in community development.
“We want youths to participate fully in community projects. Let us educate the youths on the importance of engaging in projects instead of looking for jobs which are difficult to come by. Youths and womens’ voices need to be amplified in the post COVID-19 era. In all our projects in Victoria Falls and Jambezi we have incorporated 180 women who we have trained on community development and human rights. In a way, we also want to alleviate cases of early marriages,” said the eloquent Siziba in her submission.
She added that Youth Invest is collaborating with two successful women and youth organisations which are doing well in the Jambezi area.
Youths Invest help youths and women demand accountability from local authorities on all developmental issues.
Ms Siziba said: “Accountability is the relationship between two parties. Local authorities should be answerable to all issues taking place in their areas. The community needs to know how the devolution funds are allocated to them and how they are used. The Local authorities need to have an open door to allow the youths and women in the communities have a say on funds and resources.”
Youth Invest contends that decisions and actions should be clear to the community.
“The youths and women in the community should be consulted as there is a need to cultivate a sense of trust on local authorities. Transparency and responsibility are key facets of development. Once this is well articulated, it reduces allegations of corruption labelled on local authority office bearers. Let us all thrive to shift from the usual narrative that all local authorities are centred on corruption,” said Siziba amid applause from the youths and women who.graced the workshop.
Youth Invest programmes manager, Mgcini Moyo concurred with Siziba’s sentiments that local authorities need to engage citizens and inform them on essential programmes to be rolled out.
“Local authorities should invite locals to meetings to create road maps together. Let us avoid sidelining locals in programmes as this tends to lead to controversies,” said Moyo.
Hwange Rural District Council Social Services officer, Modern Mapani told the attendees that the RDC has an open-door policy as it engages locals and stakeholders on various developmental projects and budgets.
“We do budget consultations and get opinions from locals. We request councillors to conduct village meetings so that they also contribute to the budget. At full council meetings, we invite traditional leaders so that they air their opinions on resource allocations,” said Mapani.
Councillors from Chidobe number 2, Mahale and Dete were also in attendance.
Since its inception in 2018, Youth Invest has helped conscientise youths and women about their rights. The thrust of the organisation is to ensure that youths and women are engaged in community projects to shun social ills and deliquent behaviours.
