A FORMER junior councillor, Confidence Kutsaru (21), has set up an organisation called Golden Youth that seeks to empower young people by nurturing their talents in an effort to curb early marriages, drug abuse and prostitution among the youths.
BY OWN CORRESPONDENT
Kutsaru, a poet who goes by the moniker Golden Queen disclosed this to NewsDay Life & Style after presenting her poem, Mafaro eNyika Anopera, at Culture Week commemorations at Chitungwiza Arts Centre last Friday.
The Golden Queen, who has an experience working with some non-governmental organisations, said she was prompted to establish the organisation after realising that a lot of organisations did not empower youth with skills to address their challenges.
“I have worked with non-governmental organisations that mainly focused on STIs, sexual reproductive health and rights and gender but do not teach about (skills) empowerment,” she said.
“Golden Youth, therefore, covers that gap as it nurtures youths’ talents through poetry, public speaking, dance, acting and soccer.” She said her organisation focused on empowering young men and women so that they would not be taken advantage of by “a blesser” and will also be able “to negotiate condom use”.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
“There are a number of school dropouts, who end up opting for marriage hoping to escape life challenges,” she said.
Kutsaru lamented the lack of parental guidance which she said had led many desperate young women into prostitution.
“Girls are indulging in commercial sex work and get infected with HIV mainly because they lack parental guidance and economic empowerment,” she said. Poets that performed at the Culture Week commemorations bemoaned included Courage Shumba, Karen Shumba and Rurama Makwata.