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Minister Patrick Zhuwao

Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
THE Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment has embarked on consultations ahead of the crafting of a Youth Empowerment Strategy blueprint aimed at addressing economic empowerment, social engagement and political participation of young people.

Youth Minister Patrick Zhuwao yesterday launched the pilot consultation project at the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo where students aired their views on what they think should be included in the document.

Dubbed the “Zimbabwe Yes for Investment”, the blueprint is expected to feed into the African Union’s theme for 2017 which is “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investment in Youth”.

The Minister said the consultations were aimed at improving a draft that was compiled by a 12-member steering committee to spearhead the drafting of the Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Strategy for Investment.

“The draft was a basis to get conversations that were put together by the steering committee, it’s the ideas of a few young people and now we’re doing countrywide consultations to get the views of other people,” said Zhuwao.

He said the youth empowerment strategy is targeting those aged between 15 and 45 years.

“We’re giving ourselves four weeks for consultations considering that young people are technologically advanced people. There are also online platforms on which we interact with them.

‘‘We’re going to reach youths through the Zimbabwe Youth Council and schools,” said Zhuwao.

“When the zero draft was developed, the approach that we took to secure the views of young people was to segment those young people in such a manner that if we spoke to students at higher and tertiary level, we get their views, if we speak to young people between the ages of 15 and 16, we also get their input.

‘‘This particular conversation here at Nust was aimed specifically at those students,” said Zhuwao.

He said notable points in the draft include addressing market gaps through innovation, science and technology, the role of graduates in wealth creation as well as investment.

“We need to move Zimbabwe from being a nation of traders to value beneficiation,” he said.