Welcome Community Technical Colleges: Addressing a 21 Year Gap in Youth Development
I had to graduate at the age of 27 years from a youth activist to a youth worker, to adjust to age. I am not sure what I am supposed to call myself in reference to advocating youth rights in political, social and economic development of Malawi. Today, 19 March 2015, however brought back emotions we experienced when we fought, not to a greater success of the need to have a structure to formally impart youth skills from community level. With assistance of Unicef, between 1996 to 2001, we tried to set very powerful youth led skills centres like Gemacadet in Rumphi, Focus in Karonga, Cayo in Kawale, Mteso in Nkhatabay, Yased in Area 18, Youth Arm Drop in Centre, Chingale in Zomba and many others in Chikwakwa, Ntchisi and Nkhotakota. Some suceeded, some failed. Today, President Peter Mutharika launched the Ngara Community Technical College. After 21 years since the dismantling of the Malawi Young Pioneers, the opening should have marked a greater celebration to those that have worked