An Activist in Solwezi Commissioner Asa Lukamata has bemoaned the low youth participation in Constituency Development Fund (CDF) disbursement last year.
In an interview with the media last week Mr Lukamata said, only four youth cooperatives benefited from the CDF grants that were given in Solwezi constituency last year.
“According to the record maybe we only have about three if not four youth groups that benefited from the CDF, now if you take a look, out the 96 groups that benefited it’s a very poor turnout,” Mr Lukamata said.
He however stated that majority youths benefited through bursary sponsorship although more youth cooperatives need to benefit for the funds to have a trickledown effect.
The youth Activist further called on government and CDF committees to consider increasing the amount of the empowerment grants from K20, 000 to K25, 000 to enable the cooperatives to invest in better businesses.
“My expectation this year is to see an increment in the empowerment funds, they are certain projects that cannot be catered in the K20, 000 but at least if we get something like K25, 000 one is able to run a Chicken Poultry or any other sustainable business,” Mr Lukamata said.
Meanwhile, North-western Province Jacaranda hub Project Coordinator Raymonds Kasesha has called on young people and women to utilize the free space given to them at Absa Bank building to brainstorm and share business ideas.
Mr Kasesha said those with great innovative ideas even stand a chance for their ideas to be funded by various partners they are working with.
