Shire Valley youths hone entrepreneurship skills

Youths and businesspersons from Nsanje and Chikwawa districts have acquired entrepreneurship skills courtesy of Makande Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church’s economic empowerment training. The half-day training yesterday targeted Adventists and non-Adventists from the two districts to improve their livelihood through businesses. Two facilitators, Zomba-based entrepreneur and evangelist Joseph Madaka and Tengani Technical College principal Louis Malunga, delivered the training that touched on digital marketing, financial management, business management and entrepreneurship.

One of the participants, Goodness Malinga,15, a Form Three student from Makande Community Day Secondary School in Chikwawa, said she acquired skills that will help her start up a business after her studies. She said: “These days white collar jobs are scarce. Even if I secure a job, I will utilise the skills to start a business.

“We need to be economically empowered and not always wait to be employed by companies or government.” Another participant Maxwell Million, from Annie Petro Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mbenje in Nsanje said he learned that constructing houses for rent is a good investment that will help him after retirement. “I will take the message to others to transform their lives,” he said. Makande SDA senior youth leader Amos Bandawe said they will organise the participants into small groups to be connected to Malawi Enterprise Development Fund to access soft loans.

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On his part Madaka, who owns Fidelis Building Civil Contractor Limited and Mulunguzi Riverside Lodge, said not all youths will be employed; hence, the need to acquire business skills. He said: “In this time we should think of business. I studied urban planning at Mzuzu University and worked in government for six years but what I can point at came from business. “I started my business while at Bembeke Community Day Secondary in Dedza District

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