IICD supported project: ICT Integration Multimedia & Recording - Zambia

The award-winning Chawama Youth Project helps young people in the township of Chawama. The centre offers ‘life skills’ courses in subjects such as Auto Mechanics,  Tailoring, Carpentry, and ICT to improve the young people’s chances of finding work. IICD support the project since 2006. Over three hundred people have been trained and the centre has integrated ICT components into several courses. Teachers are using the internet to enhance content (e.g. by accessing diagrams of engines using Google Images instead of drawing on the blackboard); hand-outs are being produced quickly; existing lesson plans are now being stored and re-used.

The Ministry of Youth Development has recognized the Chawama Youth project and has offered them a plot (5.6 hectares) of land at Kanakantapa (70 km outside Lusaka) to replicate their current work with an extension in Agriculture and Tourism.

At the centre Income generation has increased through the introduction of new carpentry designs, downloaded from the internet

• Establishment of a Community ICT Resource Centre and a Music recording Studio
• Capacity building of instructors
• Capacity building of youth in Basic Information management, Info searching, basic networking & trouble shooting, Spreadsheets, Basic websites, basic & advanced Databases, music recording, Graphic design
• Increased Income generation activities by increasing marketing of produced goods and the use of internet in designing new products

Interview with Justin Somi, Chawama Youth Project

Adding ICT support and activities to the existing Chawama Youth Project aims to assist the Zambian agenda of producing employable youths that meet the national labour market requirements of flexibility and high quality in work standards. This will contribute to the livelihood opportunities for vulnerable youth through building capacities and encouraging aspiring youths to develop their entrepreneurship and their talents, ultimately contributing to the reduction in poverty among Chawama Community members.

Interview with Yese Bwalya in the recording studio of Chawama Youth Project.

Read more about IICD's Zambia Country Programme.

• to enable talented youths and women to become productive members of the community;
• to encourage and assist in the establishment of economical enterprises for the youths and women, and promote self-employment;
• to improve efficiency and effectiveness of staff members of CYP in their day-to-day duties;
• to promote ICT usage in the local community (in particular Chawama) and among students for their respective courses;

A 14 minute documentary produced by e-Brain about the Chawama Youth Project

Around 400 youths have been trained in the last two years: in tailoring, carpentry, welding, auto mechanics, ICT and electrics. They have gained knowledge and acquired skills that will help them in getting future employment. Trainers have also been trained and these skills can be applied after they have left the project.

The information resource centre will not only be open for the prime target groups, but will be open for the general public. Chawama offers secretarial and communication services for the general public

Interview with Mr Rodgers Mulenga

Read more about IICD's approach towards Livelihoods.

• Because of an increase in activities the Financial system had also to be strengthened in order to keep the financial system up-to-date
• Internet is integrated in several trainings like tailoring and mechanics, but some instructors still prefer handouts instead of electronic presentations
• Revenues from secretarial services decrease due to more ICT capacity of community members, but income from internet use increases, because people want to apply their skills

Interview with Ruby Nyirongo, Student at Chawama Youth Project