NIRVANA Business Solutions, a company that provides training to beneficiaries of the skills training bursaries under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has so far trained over 5000 youths since the introduction of the component.
Company General Manager, David Chalwe, says the youths from 85 Constituencies across the country have been trained in various skills, such as earth moving machine operation and international truck driving, among others.
He also revealed that the Company has managed to procure state of the art equipment as well as employ more people from the CDF Skills Training Bursaries.
“We have acquired some earth moving machines and state of the art vehicles for international truck driving. Since 2022, we’ve also built our own infrastructure and employed more people,” Mr Chalwe stated.
He was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Information and Media Director Spokesperson, Henry Kapata, at his office in Lusaka today.
Mr Chalwe has since thanked President Hakainde Hichilema for introducing the Skills Training Bursaries component as well as increasing CDF.
He however appealed to local authorities to expedite the selection of beneficiaries to enable them to report to the training institutions on time.
Speaking during the same meeting, Nirvana Chief Executive Officer, Elias Mununga says with various projects underway in the country such as the Lobito Corridor, a quality skilled labour force is vital for economic growth.
Mr Mununga said the actualisation of President Hichilema’s goal of producing 3 million tonnes of copper is dependent on skilled operators, adding that his institution is therefore determined to contribute to that.
“If you look at the economies of Malaysia, Thailand and Dubai, it’s the skills that are building these economies. So Zambia is headed for success with CDF skills,” he said.
Mr Mununga further appealed to the government to speed the payment of funds for Skills Training Bursaries.
And Ministry of Information and Media Director Spokesperson, Henry Kapata, assured that he will engage the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to expedite the selection of beneficiaries of the Skills Training Bursaries under CDF.
He commended Nirvana for prudently utilising CDF and has further expressed hope to see the funds totally utilised this year.
Mr Kapata added that such partnerships between government and institutions like Nirvana in Empowering the youth are evidence that CDF belongs to the people.
He also commended Nirvana for engaging in solid waste management and has further challenged other entrepreneurs in the country to emulate and create jobs.
“The President once wondered why we should have so many dumping sites, when we can have recycling centers in all the Constituencies, because by doing so, we’ll be creating jobs, we’ll make litter be on demand, meaning the entire Country will be clean,” Mr Kapata stressed.
