Youth Support for Social Advancement (YOSSA), a non-profit organization dedicated at advocating for the rights and empowerment of youth and children, has urged government to establish a dedicated Youth Employment Fund to support youth-led businesses and create job opportunities in emerging sectors.
The organization says this will ensure that sectors like digital technology, renewable energy, and creative industries thrive.
This is contained in a press statement issued Sunday by YOSSA executive director Fredrick Nkula which is partially part of the organization’s review of the 2025/2026 Budget Policy Statement presented by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda, on 28th February 2025.
While acknowledging the budget highlights investments in key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and mining (ATM), Nkula says the budget lacks a clear and comprehensive strategy to address the high levels of youth unemployment.
“Whereas we acknowledge the government’s efforts to address some of the pressing economic challenges facing the country, we believe that the budget falls short in adequately addressing the specific needs and aspirations of Malawi’s youth, who constitute the majority of the population and are key to the nation’s socio-economic transformation,” reads part of the statement signed by Nkula.
According to the organization, the budget does not adequately address the challenges faced by rural youth, who often lack access to education, training, and economic opportunities.
Meanwhile, YOSSA has recommended the introduction of targeted programs to support rural youth, including vocational training, access to credit, and infrastructure development in rural areas.
It said: “While the recapitalization of the Youth Innovation Fund is a positive step, the allocated K2 billion is insufficient to meet the growing demand for youth-led initiatives.”
YOSSA has since urged government to increase funding for youth programs and ensure that these funds are disbursed in a timely and transparent manner.
Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola Banda presented the K8.05 trillion 2025-2026 national budget last week.
