A Chipinge based youth advocacy group, Platform for Youths and Community Development (PYCD) took advantage of the 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence to assist elderly members of the community with household duties.
Dubbed the ‘youths week’, PYCD members from over 25 wards of Chipinge conducted household chores including home cleaning, cooking and laundry for elderly members of the community.
Speaking to 263Chat after the campaign PYCD director, Claris Madhuku said they took the opportunity to showcase that there is still hope among the youths.
“We took advantage of the 16 days of activism against gender based violence, we wanted to show that there is more value in our youths. They have been helping the elderly by helping them with household chores.
“We engaged youths from the 25 wards where we are represented and I can say youths are still relevant today that is if they are given the opportunity. If you give them opportunities they can positively contribute in development of society,” said Madhuku
Social commentator, Owen Dhliwayo applauded efforts by PYCD saying the youth group had put into practice what it preaches in the community.
“PYCD has put into practice what it says in terms of commitment to social development at a macro level. In as much as the youths are said to be errant the organisation has shown that there is still hope among the youths. In order to create social value in our communities this is the way to go,” said Dhliwayo.
The campaign according to Madhuku reached 500 people as the youths conducted door to door activities.
“The campaign reached 500 people as a result of door to door campaigns that we carried. Youths in Ward 6 were helping the elderly in ploughing and it has become talk of the district” he said.
There has been an outcry from various quarters of society castigating youths behavior as they are engaged in drug abuse and other errant behavior.
