The Minister of Youth and Sports, Honorable Uchizi Mkandawire, has encouraged the youth in Malawian to harness the transformative potential of the Youth Innovation Fund (YIF) to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across the nation. Speaking at the YIF cheque presentation ceremony in Uliwa, Karonga, where the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) disbursed over K40 million in grants to five exceptional youth groups from Karonga and Chitipa, Minister Mkandawire emphasized that this strategic investment is designed to equip young people with the necessary skills and resources to create meaningful employment opportunities for their peers and substantially improve community livelihoods.

The grant recipients showcased the diverse and innovative spirit of Malawi’s youth. Silent Shield, a pioneering youth-led startup, has developed a safe, anonymous, and inclusive digital platform to report incidents of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This platform enables Malawians to report incidents through multiple accessible channels, including a dedicated website, WhatsApp and Telegram bots, and USSD services for non-smartphone users. With the Youth Innovation fund the Silent Shield plans to centralize the reporting and response system through an integrated dashboard that will effectively tackle the stigma, fear of retaliation, and provide a coordinated support to victims seeking help.

In the realm of agriculture and environmental sustainability, several youth groups are making significant strides. With the support of the YIF, the Mwakifwamba Youth Club from Karonga will scale up production of locally made organic fertilizer, increasing accessibility to smallholder farmers and promoting climate-smart agriculture by procuring a fertilizer making machine. The grant will also enable the club to expand its reach and impact, contributing to food security and sustainable development in line with Malawi’s 2063 vision.

Similarly, the Tisinthe Youth Club plans to utilize the YIF grant to enhance its integrated poultry farming and feed production capabilities. The funding will enable the club to increase production of high-quality, locally made chicken feed, reduce costs for smallholder farmers, and create more jobs in the community.

Dope Farms from Chitipa is revolutionizing piggery farming and pork processing by producing hybrid pigs and planning to venture into value-addition by producing sausages and bacon. This holistic approach creates a sustainable value chain in the piggery business, demonstrating the potential for youth-led innovation to drive economic growth and development in rural areas.

Minister Mkandawire reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting youth innovation, highlighting plans to increase the YIF to MK10 billion. This significant investment underscores the government’s confidence in the potential of young people to drive economic growth and development in Malawi.

The Executive Director of NYCOM, Mr. Rex Chapota, commended President Lazarus Chakwera for his unwavering support of youth innovation, noting that the President’s commitment serves as the fundamental pillar for transformative initiatives like the YIF. Mr. Chapota emphasized that this support empowers a generation to become architects of their own destiny and active contributors to Malawi’s future.