THE Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (Yett) has urged government to review its youth empowerment schemes under the indigenisation programme, saying most of the schemes were eluding the intended beneficiaries.
Tarisai Mandizha
Yett representative Tinashe Gumbo made the remarks during a 2014 post-budget breakfast meeting in Harare yesterday.
“It is critical for the government to first take a thorough stock of the previous youth schemes under the indigenisation process to assess the effectiveness of the same in future,” Gumbo said.
“Also, government should fund publicity campaigns for youth schemes to promoteaccountability. “For example, youths in the rural provinces are largely unaware of the various youth financing schemes outlined in the successive national budgets.”
Gumbo further said there was need for financial support for youth initiatives and the national budget should also address some of these challenges.
“The budgets should also be sensitive to the varying needs of the youth’s categories as they are not homogenous. The 2014 budget in particular provides for the development of a database on SMEs to facilitate the formulation of targeted interventions and a monitoring and evaluation system for the sector which is also good for the youths.”
