Youth Resource Centres - Zambia

Two of IICD’s project partners: Chawama Youth Project and Ndola Resource Centre will use their experience and lessons learned to build the ICT capacity of 16 Youth Resource Centres (YRC) all over the country on request of the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Child Development (MSYCD) and the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) as part of the implementation of the National Youth Policy (2006). This policy promotes the use of ICT for Youth Development. The  Youth Resource  Centre model  has  been  developed  to  provide  a  hybrid  not-for-profit Youth Resource  Centre  and a for  profit  telecentre.  The purpose  is  to  provide  sustainable community development  information and business services  to  youth groups. The YRCs will provide access to internet-enabled computers; printers; copiers, telephones; television and radios. In addition there will be an adjoining library with books and daily newspapers and magazines. The YRCs will deploy sustainable connectivity solutions and will be linked to the government portal. YRCs will be an integral part of Zambia’s e-governance structure.

The National Youth Policy (2006) developed by the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Child Development (MSYCD) states that at global and regional level, a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the development and use of ICTs have been put in place.  

The  value  of  ICTs  is  largely  seen  through  increased  productivity,  more  efficient operations, improved  information  access  and  dissemination;  equitable  participation in  social,  political,  and economic  spheres;  access  to  education  and  health;  and breaking  barriers  of  isolation.  Therefore, successful  diffusion,  application  and  use of  ICTs in  the  development  process  will  depend  on  the involvement of Women who are marginalized in society and yet constitute over half (51%) of the Zambian population. 

On the other hand, youths constitute a special group capable of using, deploying and taking ICTs into the future. This is even true given that, youths constitute about 60% of the population and are usually the early adopters of ICTs in any given society. It is widely accepted that any development activity that excludes youths and women will not achieve sustainable results. 

Information access and dissemination are some of the key empowerment tools for youths and women as special groups. Currently, the emergence of mobile communications system has increased the level of mobile “teleshops” most of which are owned and operated by youths. Therefore, by increasing sustainable programmes targeted at youths, greater empowerment opportunities can be created. A rapid survey conducted among the youths along the line of rail revealed the following: 

 Some of the challenges of ICTs among Youths are:

• Low ICT literacy and skills levels especially among the rural youth.
• Low opportunities for access to ICT products and services; and
• Entry barriers (financial, skills etc) for youths and especially as  entrepreneurs

•  Training is given to the Katembula Youth Resource Centre in Lufwanyama district to 12 participants (instructors and the Provincial Youth Coordinator) in Excel, Word and File management. An ICT club was established. The District Health Management Team would like to employ trained youth for data entry and analysis in Excel
  
• Training is given to 6 staff members at Mpika Resource centre in file management, Microsoft Word and Excel, ICT in administration and how to integrate ICT in skills training
• Training is given to Zambezi Resource centre in file management, Word, internet skills. An ICT club was established after the training
• Training at Chinsali Youth resource centre in file management, Microsoft Word, internet skills and ICT in administration
• Training at Kaoma Youth Resource centre in powerpoint
• Training at King George National Youth College in file management and basic computer maintenance
• Motorola Foundation and Motorola Ltd. will support 5 Youth Resource Centres with equipment, training and connectivity
  

Interview with Mr Isaac Chanda, Executive Director Ndola Resource Centre

• To  disseminate  information  to  the  youth especially  in  areas  of  health, e-governance, environment, agriculture etc 
• To support business activities in both urban and rural communities by providing market information and extension services 
• To promote sustainable ICT education targeted at youth to increase employment opportunities and access to training
• To promote youth accessibility to ICT equipment and materials
• To promote the operation of internet activity as a potential area for entrepreneurship development among youth for information and communication
• Complement the Youth Resource Centres (YRC) with activities that will enhance their development in line with the programme objectives
• Deploying the experiences and lessons learnt of IICD supported projects in terms of content development and utilization and mobilization of user groups at community level

The project will help the Ministry (MSYCD) in reaching the overall objective of the National Youth Policy – 2006, namely “to promote the use of ICT for Youth development” and its specific objectives:

• To promote sustainable ICT education targeted at youth to increase employment opportunities;
• To promote youth accessibility to ICT equipment and material;
• To promote the operation of Internet connectivity as a potential area for entrepreneurship development among youth for information and communication” through the 17 Youth Resource Centres King George VI National College and National Youth Development Council.

Read more about IICD's approach towards Livelihoods.

Katembula ICT training provided knowledge and information towards the need of ICT literacy in most rural areas in Zambia. The team experienced quite a number of challenges with regards to training women. In most rural areas, ICT training and other technological skill trainings are perceived to be attained by men. Before the trainings, the centre manager asked the team from Ndola Resource Centre to explain and convince the women at the centre to undergo ICT training since most of them regarded ICT as a very difficult field which could only be perceived by men and others were just scared for unknown reasons to sit in front of the computer. After thorough discussions, the team explained to the women at the centre that ICT training is not always based on the levels of literacy but what was very much important was for them to get the skill. With this regard, the team from The Ndola Resource Centre reduced on the use of technical words during training. It was interesting and encouraging at the same time to see at the end of the training a delighted team of women who had successfully attained some ICT training.

The NRC team also learnt that part of the reason why people have been reluctant in adopting ICTs has not necessary been financial constraints but has also been low or inexistent ICT skill. This was clearly observed at Katembula. Following the training, it could be seen that the participants at the centre had appreciated the skill and also understood the dynamics between ICTs and other sectors of development by diverting the money to buying ICT equipment. After the training and advice, Katembula management realized the importance of ICT not only in their lives but also as a centre and hence had no choice but to use the money realized from their Income Generating Activities to procure ICT equipment.

The Ministry of Sports and Child development (MSYCD) is responsible for the development of out of school youth. The Ministry directly provides and manages Youth Resource Centres, which offer non-formal skills training and entrepreneurship skills to out of school youth. It also facilitates support and collaboration with Civil Society, Faith Based Organisations (FBO) and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) to enhance the provincial of skills training and other support services.

IICD will assist the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development (MSYCD) in reaching the overall objective of the National Youth Policy – 2006, namely “to promote the use of ICT for Youth development” and its specific objectives “to promote sustainable ICT education targeted at youth to increase employment opportunities; to promote youth accessibility to ICT equipment and material; to promote the operation of Internet connectivity as a potential area for entrepreneurship development among youth for information and communication” through the 16 Youth Resource Centres King George VI National College and National Youth Development Council. These institutions receive monthly grants from MSYCD for their operation and sustainability. National Youth Development Council (NYDC) is a statutory body created by an act of Parliament that is mandated to register and coordinate all youth NGOs in the country.  

The Ministry of Sports, Youth and Community Development will be responsible to provide the facilities and the equipment to the Youth Resource Centres. IICD will be responsible to build the ICT capacity of the YRC through Chawama Youth Project and the Ndola Resource Cooperative, IICD will provide strategic advice herewith focusing on technical, organisational, financial sustainability of the MSYCD, NYDC and YRCs to implement the IICD M&E system and to give the YRC’s the opportunity to participate in the e-Brain forum of Zambia through a D-group for Youth and Livelihood.

Interview with Mr. Ben Sambambi - Kalingalinga Youth Resource Centre Manager

Other interviews are conducted with:

• Mr. Julius Sakala - ICT Instructor Kalingalinga Youth Resource Centre

•  Mrs. Kalonga Loveness – Tailoring
•  Mrs Nsunge Sasia - Food Production