Staff Writer
ActionAid Zimbabwe supported the City of Harare in launching a Youth Desk at Tariro Youth Centre in Hopley last week, creating a dedicated, safe and youth-friendly space where young people can access information, services and opportunities.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening support systems for young people while providing a platform where they can participate meaningfully in decision-making processes and issues affecting their lives and communities.
ActionAid Zimbabwe said the Youth Desk would help young people access vital information, guidance and opportunities while creating greater opportunities for their participation in community development.
Speaking at the launch, City of Harare Deputy Mayor Councillor Rosemary Muronda said the Youth Desk would provide a platform for young people to “access information, participate in decision making, receive guidance and opportunities,” according to ActionAid Zimbabwe.
The occasion also provided ActionAid Zimbabwe with an opportunity to showcase its work in Hopley through the Dignified Lives and Decent Livelihoods for Young People Project and the Girl Supporter Project.
The organisation said its exhibition stall, supported by trained community volunteers, connected young people and other stakeholders with practical, community-led solutions focusing on youth livelihoods and entrepreneurship, vocational pathways, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), menstrual health and girls’ empowerment.
ActionAid Zimbabwe said the programmes were particularly significant for young people in Hopley who face challenges including unemployment, early marriage, gender-based violence (GBV) and limited access to education and other opportunities.
The organisation said its interventions were helping young people develop skills, access opportunities and make informed decisions while strengthening their ability to build more secure and dignified futures.
ActionAid Zimbabwe said youth livelihoods and entrepreneurship initiatives were providing young people with practical pathways to economic empowerment, while vocational programmes were helping them explore skills and career opportunities.
The organisation also highlighted its work in SRHR and menstrual health, areas it said were critical in ensuring that young people, particularly girls, could access accurate information and support.
Through the Girl Supporter Project, ActionAid Zimbabwe said it was also working to empower girls and address barriers that can affect their education, wellbeing and ability to participate fully in community life.
The organisation said trained community volunteers played an important role in taking these interventions closer to communities and connecting young people with available support and services.
ActionAid Zimbabwe said the establishment of the Youth Desk represented an important step towards creating stronger local structures for youth engagement and ensuring that young people had spaces where their concerns could be heard.
The organisation said continued investment in young people was essential to building stronger and more resilient communities.
“When young people are supported, communities thrive,” ActionAid Zimbabwe said.