By Winfrida Kamwana

Mchinji, December 8, Mana: Amidst high unemployment rate in Malawi, MHub has embarked on a Job and Opportunity Fair to provide a platform for youths to access information that will help them get job and business opportunities.

The Job and Opportunity Fair took place in Mchinji for two consecutive days, providing knowledge to different youths on how to access business grants and how to determine appropriate career paths.

In his remarks, MHub Technical Manager Daniel Mvalo explained that the fair is aimed at providing information to youths on how to access information on job opportunities, business grants and market linkages.

“Youths need a platform to access information, such as how to professionally present themselves at work or how they can write better business plans to attract buyers. That is why as MHub we saw it fit to provide such a wide platform so that the youths can access information and be able to choose what they want to do with their lives,” said Mvalo.

Mvalo also added that the fair was not designed just to equip youths with information but to also help them meet potential employers and investors with the different stakeholders that took part in the Job and Opportunity Fair.

John Chirwa, a youth who is doing agribusiness in aqua-culture, stated that the fair has equipped him and his group with vast knowledge on how to grow their business. He further said this was a great opportunity for him as a youth to understand the appropriate way of drawing business plans and executing them.

Another participant, Tamanda Mwale, hailed MHub for the fair, saying it has helped her business grow.

“I had the opportunity to showcase my products and I was able to secure some clients who are interested in my baking business; this shows how crucial and important this fair is to us who are conducting small scale businesses,” said Mwale.

MHub is working in partnership with GIZ under a project called ‘Empowering Youths in Agribusiness’ (EYA). The project is being conducted in five districts, which include Nkhotakota, Mchinji and Salima.

Apart from training sessions on drawing business plans, accessing business grants and crafting successful application letters and curriculum vitae, the event was also spiced up by performances from musician Zeze Kingston and other Mchinji local artists.

Different organizations at the fair offered some youth’s different job and internship opportunities.