Lilongwe District Council has commended Malawi Green Corps Project for equipping 195 youths from traditional authorities Malili and Masula with skills to conserve the environment.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday during the presentation of certificates to the youth who participated in the project, the council’s chairperson Dan Mtayamanja said the youth planted 12 000 trees in their areas and protected 485 hectares (ha) of Dzalanyama Forest Reserve and 15ha along Lilongwe River banks.

He said: “The project, which is now phasing out, empowered the youth to protect the environment.

“The youth have been working on voluntary basis and at the end, they received support to start their own businesses that are environmentally friendly such as making briquettes for cooking.

The youth display briquettes

“Before starting their businesses, the youth were trained in business management.”

Mtayamanja urged the youth to utilise the skills they acquired through the project to empower their fellow youths to continue conserving the environment.

Malawi Green Corps project manager Baxton Chirombo said the project, which started in 2021, engaged youths in conserving the environment.

“Looking at Malawi’s economic status and the youth being at the disadvantaged level, we thought the project could empower them to conserve the environment and enable them start businesses to generate income,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the youth, Helen Chintengo said they were making money through selling briquettes.

“With high unemployment rate among the youth in the country, it is good to acquire businesses skills to generate income,” she said.

With finding from the United Nations Development Programme, the Catholic Relief Services implemented the project on a pilot phase in 10 districts including Lilongwe.

Dzalanyama Forest Reserve and Lilongwe River banks have for many years suffered deforestation, leading to several initiatives to restore the lost vegetative cover.

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