Local alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative (Yali) Regional Learning Centre Southern Africa (RLC SA) have pledged to scale up efforts to impart positive social growth in different areas of residence at a time the country is faced with massive socio-economic degeneration.
By Kennedy Nyavaya
The Yali youth development programme is the brainchild of former United States president Barack Obama and seeks to nurture empowered youths who can proffer solutions to challenges in their communities.
Speaking to The Standard Style after the evaluation event, where assessment of different success stories was done by Social Impact recently, the Zimbabwe chapter coordinator, Takemore Mazuruse, said the programme was continuing to empower young people in tackling social ills stalking the nation.
“Instead of just complaining, they get involved and define the change process so the social impact programme was meant to engage how much value addition the programme has had on our members,” said Mazuruse.
“From the testimonies, you can tell that there is a lot happening with our people getting involved in business entrepreneurship, some in social enterprise and others in social development.”
The scores of participants included passionate change makers equipped with vast knowledge in civic leadership as well as business and entrepreneurship.
Mazuruse said outside the knowledge and will, an assortment of synergies with various active citizens could help alumni from different segments to implement ideal development frameworks.
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“We can harness the power of networks because we have different skills and abilities so we want young people to work together as a unit in terms of defining the future of their communities,” he said calling on different stakeholders to embrace the young leaders.
Meanwhile, Social Impact representative Sierra Frischknecht echoed the same sentiments.
“I think alumni need to be looking at their network and search for opportunities in the community and country using the skills that they learnt through Yali to get to the next level,” said Frischknecht.
Cohort 9 alumni Robert Malunda’s Gateway to Elation Trust project, aimed at enhancing computer literacy among the visually impaired since 2016, stood out as the most impactful story of the day.
The Young African Leaders Initiative is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders.
