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Zambia: Fundanga Prods JA to Increase Capacity
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The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
5 May 2008
Posted to the web 5 May 2008
Ndola
Junior Achievement (JA) Zambia board chairman Caleb Fundanga has said there is need to improve capacity of JA programmes as there are a lot of opportunities available in working with young people who constituted the largest segment of the national population.
Dr Fundanga said the foundation of the future for the country rested on young people. Speaking at a Press briefing for JA Zambia in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Fundanga who is Bank of Zambia (BoZ) Governor said to build a stronger foundation for Zambia; there was need to invest in and develop capacity among young people.
"In order to achieve our aims and goals of improving our capacity as JA Zambia, we have outlined several plans of action. "We shall soon be approaching business houses, foundations and other stakeholders to share our vision with them as we advance the mission of our work in Zambia," he said. Dr Fundanaga said initial priority of JA Zambia was to increase the student base and had this year targeted to reach 500 students in selected high and basic schools.
He said JA Zambia was planning to implement the organisation programme, the JA careers with a purpose programme as a job shadowing programme, which was aimed at building business and work skills among young and school going children. His organisation was currently discussing with the ministry of Education to find ways of delivering JA programmes throughout the school system using their national network. Zambia had a lot to benefit from the JA programmes as it was looking at development and nurturing of young people that would be well oriented in real life issues and therefore be able to withstand and face challenges in the future.
"Through our programmes which equip young people with business and economic skills, a lot of value will be added to the economy through resultant initiatives such as the establishment of small and medium term enterprises," he said. Business houses and other stakeholders should support JA programmes as it was through these programmes that Zambia could develop a cadre of highly skilled and equipped entrepreneurs and workers of the future. Dr Fundanga said JA Zambia was currently recruiting companies and individuals to join in promoting business and economic education for Zambian youths. He challenged Zambian professionals to take up the challenge of volunteering for JA programmes in order to expose the youth to the business world and world of work.
He commended Barclays Bank Zambia and Stanbic Bank Zambia for taking the lead in supporting JA Zambia progarmmes. And Junior Achievement Worldwide Africa regional vice-president Lemech Mbise said investing in young people assisted to transform the economy of any country. Dr Mbise said JA was operating in 117 countries worldwide and had 8.4 million members worldwide. He said JA prepared young people to find employment and contribute to economic development. The organisation was working with banks, mines and telecommunication industries saying it was a bridge between education and the private sector.
Dr Mbise said the organisation was passionate in investing in young people as it was one way of transforming economies. Barclays Bank Zambia managing director Zafar Masud said JA was doing a lot for Zambia but more needed to be done.
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Mr Masud said it was not only the social responsibility of companies to support JA progarmmes but develop the young people who would in future work for the same companies.
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