The department of youth development in the Copperbelt province last year disbursed a total of K1.3 billion to various youth groups and individuals.
The money was released by the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and Youth Development Funds in the province.
Provincial Youth Development Coordinator Benford Chisanyi told ZANIS in an interview in Ndola that 48 projects benefited from this amount.
He said the projects that benefited from the funds ranged from agriculture, small businesses such as establishing bakeries, restaurants and food processing plants.
Mr. Chisanyi described the utilisation of the funds by the beneficiaries as satisfactory.
He said a number of individual youths and groups were carrying out good projects whose performance was beyond the expectation of the department.
Mr. Chisanyi however reminded the beneficiaries to start paying back because the money they got was not a grant but a revolving fund.
He said whilst the money was meant to improve their lives and empower them, it was important that they pay back as indicated in the agreement form.
Mr. Chisanyi said once this money is recovered, it would be used to empower other youths who did not benefit last year.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chisanyi has disclosed that preparations for this year’s youth week and day activities in the province have reached an advanced stage.
He said his office was providing guidance and coordination to youth committees in respective districts of the province who have already started organizing activities for the youth day on 12th March.
Mr. Chisanyi said this year’s youth day celebrations will be held under the theme “Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable National Development”.
He has since appealed to youths in the province to turn up in numbers for the event because this was their day and exhibit what they can contribute to the growth of the province.
ZANIS
@Ba CEEC when a U going to @ least akcnowledge that our Biz Plans have been accepted or rejected so that we look elsewhere for funding.