Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:21:49 +0000
By KAUSA MBASELA
BARRICK Lumwana will introduce an independent Youth Skills Empowerment and Self-Employment Programme for youths in its area of operation.
Barrick Lumwana Mining Company (LMC) senior affairs manager Nathan Chishimba said that the company would this year work with the Lumwana Community Business Association to support training programmes.
The programmes would focus on entrepreneurship, beekeeping, carpentry and brick-laying.
“It is envisaged that the programme will lead to improved skills to uptake business opportunities; bring about positive mindsets towards self-employment/entrepreneurship and diversification in our local economy,” he said in a speech delivered by sustainability manager, Christopher Mukala, at the Youth Day event at Manyama Basic School in Kalumbila district.
Lumwana Mining Company has so far initiated youth empowerment through its Community Education Support Programme where 71 pupils are on the Lumwana High School scholarship at seven boarding secondary schools in the area.
Mr Chishimba added that 201 students are currently on the tertiary scholarships.
‘‘This number sums up the continuing college students and the 10 newly recruited tertiary scholar for 2017 under Lumwana tetiary scholarship.
“Over 200 students have been on the programme since its inception in 2013. All the scholars that have qualified to both the high school and tertiary scholarships are from North-Western Province, particularly from Mukumbi, Mumena and Matebo chiefdoms,” Mr Chishimba said.
Barrick has further established 12 fish ponds through which youths are trained in fish-farming and in construction of fish ponds.
So far, there are 12 fish ponds in Mangala, Shinda, Meheba and Lubinga communities. The fish ponds are soon expected to be stocked with 36,000 fingerlings through the technical support from the Department of Fisheries.
He said the programme is meant to enable youths become self-reliant and provide the general community with a source of protein.
It supplements Government policy to promote fish farming and expansion among the small scale farmers.
Out-of-school youths have an opportunity to learn dairy farming.
“We recently implemented a dairy farming project which targeted out-of-school youths. We distributed 50 cows in total on a loan scheme and provided financial support in the construction as well as equipping of the milk collection centre at Mutanda.
‘‘The programme has finally stabilised after going through several challenges,” Mr Chishimba said.
Barrick Lumwana has aligned its corporate social responsibility strategy with the Government’s National Youth Policy and the National Action Plan for Youth Empowerment and Employment.
This alignment is also in line with Barrick’s focus to mitigate widespread socio-economic pressure caused by unemployment. – Story courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.
