BARCLAYS Bank Zambia (BBZ) has pledged to invest K2 billion to empower 30, 000 youths countrywide with business and vocational skills under the ‘Get Ahead’ training programme.
The bank has partnered with Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development and United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) to support youth resource centres offering skills training, community outreach and enterprise development.
During a cocktail hosted for the visiting Barclays Bank United Kingdom’s company secretary Laurence Dickinson held at Intercontinental Hotel on Wednesday night, BBZ managing director Saviour Chibiya said the bank agreed on a three-year skills training programme in 2007 with UNICEF and Government.
“In the global partnership which covers a three-year period, we have invested more than K2 billion to enable thousands of young people in Zambia access business skills and basic vocational training.
“Specifically, 800 graduates of the ‘Get Ahead’ programme will start their own businesses, gain skills, become entrepreneurs and be provided with the follow-up support necessary through the youth centres,” he said.
Mr Chibiya said the project will enable 3,000 young people in Zambia to access the training. The bank is supporting two youth resource centres in Chongwe and Mumbwa.
Earlier, Mr Dickinson said 50 million British pounds is spent every three years on the youth programme.
Mr Dickinson said the bank is committed to ensure skill-based volunteering opportunities such as mentoring in business skills and supporting work placements to equip students in youth resource centres.
He said the bank’s major focus for the community will be on financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, education and helping people acquire sustainable livelihood considering that 50 percent of the youths in Zambia are unemployed.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
You defied your party directives and went for the cool cash at the NCC. What have you yielded for the country from your NCC?
You also know that even if you did not come out with a public statement PF was never going to adopt any rebel MP to re contest their seats . All PF rebel MPs are in a deep political quagmire
@ # 1 wrong comment, please ignore .
This bank makes sense than MMD’s Standard Chartered
Yes 50% of youths in Zambia are unemployed so why not cast your net wide to empower at those youths who are now call boys,bus conductors,wheel barrow pusher,etc they should be
given skills that can empower them in future.otherwise they will just be drinking chibuku as early
as 06:00hrs.
How much is K2 billion is US Dollar terms? Maybe 2million……. not alot of money, you can do better than this iwe ba bank. Hope others follow with more
This bank made a lot of profit from selling Africans into slavery. They can honestly do better than this
Dickenson li crook. He is giving the equivalent of less than $500,000 and yet he claims 50 million pounds is spent every 3 years?? Ba reporter tulo, why not ask whether 50 million is spent on Zambia or a fund thats targeted at youth worldwide in order to clarify things. Otherwise that vuvuzela paper will jump on this and scream mmd corruption. It common knowlegde thanks to dambisa that for every $10 the donors give african coutries, they’re 7 donor citizens following it.