Malawian Youths Form Voluntary Work Group to Make a Difference in their Communities
Ambitious Malawian graduates form voluntary group to stay busy while job hunting, writes Roselyn Ndiwo Banda.
KASUNGU, Malawi— Amid a high unemployment rate, some ambitious young graduates in Malawi are taking matters into their own hands by organising a voluntary work group to keep themselves occupied while searching for paid employment, writes Roselyn Ndiwo Banda.
Known as Cycle of Hope, the group was formed in August 2022 by Hardley Tongozola and his colleagues from Catholic University in Santhe, Kasungu.
With a vision to empower youth and strengthen community livelihoods, Cycle of Hope focuses on environmental conservation, raising health awareness, and providing support to those in need.
Since its establishment in 2020, the group has already made significant contributions to their local community, such as planting trees at Chipoza Primary School and participating in the cleaning of health institutions in and around Santhe.
Grandson Chunga Kaundama, the head teacher of Chipoza Primary School, confirmed that the group had indeed planted trees on the school campus.
The dedication of these young individuals has also been recognised by the Clinton Health Centre in Santhe, which has been supporting the group's initiatives.
Despite the lack of external funding, Hardley Tongozola, the founder of Cycle of Hope, explained that their motivation comes from the desire to make a difference.
He disclosed, "We had a garden in which we planted soybeans, but due to a lack of resources, we ended up selling the land. That piece of land would've been our source of finances for our various projects."
Mercy Chirwa, a nurse at Clinton Clinic, expressed her appreciation for the group's efforts in changing the mindset of the youth in the area.
She acknowledged their significant contributions to maintaining a clean environment in the health facility, stating, "We have clean surroundings suitable for a health facility because they come to clean this place up."
The Cycle of Hope, which boasts a diverse membership comprising university graduates, school dropouts, and teen mothers, remains committed to its mission of effecting positive change within itself and its community.
Founder Hardley Tongozola emphasised, "We are still determined to bring change to society, starting with ourselves as a youth, and then to the rest of society. We cannot always wait for the government or other organisations to do things for us."
Despite the challenges they have encountered, Cycle of Hope continues to work hard and display unwavering dedication.
Their collective efforts reflect the resilience and determination of the Malawian youth to shape a better future for themselves and their communities.
Keep up the good work broz
So inspiring, being the change