Chronicle Editor
Blessing Karubwa, Chronicle Reporter
ZANU-PF Bulilima East legislator Cde Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu has said there is a need to empower youths in areas with high numbers of young people flocking to South Africa in search of greener pastures to stop the trend.
Cde Ndlovu who is also the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry said lack of youth empowerment programmes in his constituency was leaving youths with no option but to cross the border with the hope of better opportunities.
He was speaking on Sunday at Mbila Village in Bulilima District while commissioning a solar-powered borehole that will provide water for youth projects.
The borehole is one of the seven which have been drilled by Cde Ndlovu in his constituency to help support income generation projects being undertaken by villagers.
Last week, another solar-powered borehole drilled by DDF in partnership with Cde Ndlovu to benefit 50 homesteads was commissioned at Chief Kandana’s homestead Gwambe area.
“I once had a meeting in 2021 with youths from this constituency. While speaking to them I realised that to discourage them from going to South Africa the solution can be empowering and assisting them. Usually, youths do not have their own pieces of land, a situation which has propelled me to accomplish the point which they raised during the meeting as they requested for a borehole so that they can venture into income generating project,” said Cde Ndlovu.
He said the constituency has a challenge of water which saw President Mnangagwa availing 13 boreholes in partnership with the Chinese government.
Youth chairperson for Mbila Village, Mrs Marble Ndlovu, lamented the challenge of high numbers of youths crossing the borders.
“A number of youths in our area have been crossing to South Africa looking for greener pastures but I am happy that today we have made our greener pastures. A number of youths have been struggling to pay school fees for their children but I am sure that this borehole will not leave us the same, umuntu okupha amanzi ukupha impilo. If our youths have something that generate money for them they will stay home and build their country,” said Mrs Ndlovu.
She said more than 25 youths have already joined the project and are set to start growing crops and vegetables soon after the fencing of the nutrition garden.
The councillor for the area, Clr Innocent Mavunela said more than two villages will benefit from the borehole as they would be fetching water from it.
“This borehole means a lot. We were tired of the ‘omabhara’. There are scandals that have been happening on the way as people would be walking more than four kilometres to fetch water on the rivers, scandals which include boys impregnating girls. This will go a long way in moulding our youths and hence minimising migration,” said Mr Mavunuela.
A youth, Joko Ncube (28), said through the project she hopes to transform her life and pay for her daughter’s education.
“We separated with my husband who went to South Africa and I am struggling to pay school fees for my little daughter who is learning at Kandana Primary School. I am owing about R400 at the school. Such projects will boost us because we will be able to pay our children’s levies and also provide food for them,” she said — @ TichaKarubwa
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter