SITUATION OF YOUTH IN ZAMBIAThe population of Zambia is estimated at 13.3 million of which 64 percent is composed of young people between the ages of 15 and 24(Census 2010)

Challenges Facing Youth in Zambia

• Unemployment• Access to Education• HIV/AIDS

EmploymentOver 70,000 thousand Youths are offloaded on the Job market eachyear.

Unemployment in Zambia is generally very high; Out of a population of about 13.3m only 460,000 thousand are formally employed in Zambia.

The closure of industries in the various provinces due to the openmarket economy and privatization as well as economic decline hasreduced formal employment opportunities for young people.

Access to Education

Secondary Education is accessible for only a few young people while tertiary education is largely inaccessible due to the few colleges and universities in Zambia.

HIV/AIDS

Most young people have been affected by the HIV pandemic, A lot of young people have lost bread winners as a result of HIV/AIDS while other have are actually infected, this has led to the high vulnerability of Young People resulting into high Youth Poverty levels.

Access to Development

The majority of youth in Zambia are socially and economically disadvantaged.

They have no adequate access to the basic conditions required to develop and live an independent life.(64% of Zambians live in abject poverty)

The Media In Zambia

Zambia is a burgeoning and young democracy. The media industry is still in its infancy with 60 percent of it under government ownership and control.The Government runs 3 national radio channels, one national television channel, one regional channel and 2 daily News Papers

The Media In Zambia

Currently there are 10 private radio stations, 35 community/church/institutional run radio stations, Four private television stations and one private daily News Paper.

Reflections of Youth Activities in the Media

The Zambia media landscape still remains dominated by “big news makers", who include politicians, CEOs, heads of international organisations, church leaders and lack the voices of the marginalized members of society, mainly the youth.

Reflections of Youth Activities in the Media

Of all media content in the country only 6% percent reflect youth activities and youth stories.(Synovate 2009). Youths compose 80% of media consumers in Zambia.40% of these stories are negative stories portraying young people as victims.

Use of Specific Instruments

We first need to brand a Zambian youth as one who is useful to society.Our youths have to become entrepreneurs if they have to contribute effectively to national development and self improvement and actualisation.

Use of Specific Instruments

High School Entrepreneurship Clubs

These would be clubs that begin to introduce entrepreneurship concept and terms. It should lay the foundation of what entrepreneurship involves and some financial knowledge basics. This is intended to help the students understand what is involved in running a business. Clubs would be encouraged to come up with business plans of their own

Use of Specific Instruments

Mobile Entrepreneurship Libraries

The mobile entrepreneurship libraries would move from one community to another so that they are easily accessible by youth who want to go into entrepreneurship and would not be discouraged by the distance they would have to travel to acquire the same information.

Use of Specific Instruments

Mentorship ProgrammeMentors would aid the youths going into business prevent the mistakes usually made. They would be in contact with the group leader giving them direct advice and guidance on how to run their businesses

Use of Specific Instruments

Buy Youth Campaign The Buy Youth Campaign is a marketing strategy that is intended to encourage members of the society to support youth businesses. It is known that in our society youth initiated activities are not wholly supported and most members of society consider them as a pass time however, I propose a campaign to change this .

Use of Specific Instruments

Breaking the Boundaries

There has been a failure from existing youth businesses to move out of the small businesses tier into the medium and large business tier. Hence there is need to support these very businesses to develop from small-scale businesses to medium and large businesses.

Media ImpactTable 1. Media Access and Media Habits, Youth Impact Survey Zambia 2010

Non-viewers Viewers

TOTALUrban Rural Urban

Rural

n=215 n=298 n=469 n=173 n=1155

Household owns radio 65.2 48.0 76.5 48.0 62.4

Ever listens to the radio 80.6 69.6 91.4 90.1 83.0

Frequency listens to radio Everyday/almost everyday Once/several times a week Infrequently Never

32.238.8

9.419.4

22.036.511.030.4

48.936.1

5.69.5

37.146.4

7.49.9

34.938.5

8.418.2

Household owns TV 36.7 6.2 65.1 38.7 35.6

Ever watches TV 23.3 17.0 100 100 60.5

Frequency watches TV Everyday/almost everyday Once/several times a week Infrequently Never

8.88.94.6

77.8

1.05.89.1

84.1

65.524.010.5

0

36.338.525.3

0

29.318.512.040.2

WAYS OF INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

The Internet (Target Knowledge 2012)

Establish a database and website for open sharing and dissemination of information on youth activities.

WAYS OF INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

The Internet (Target Knowledge 2012)

Promote information sharing and dissemination through the Target Knowledge 2012 website and database.

WAYS OF INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

Radio(Smart Link 2012)

A radio programme aimed at promoting information sharing and dissemination through the Smart Link radio programme.This programme highlights best practices in youth organizations and encourages young people to network

WAYS OF INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

Radio(Smart Link 2012)

The programme will also help young entrepreneurs to get information and what other organizations are doing and be able to tap into those achievements.

WAYS OF INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

Newspaper(Smart Link 2012)

From the radio programmes we want to create content for Newspapers that will complement the information we give on radio.

WAYS OF INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

Television(Youth Fusion 2012)

This is a TV programme that will allow youth to express ideas about the challenges they are going through.

Opportunity

Internet, Radio, Television, Newspapers

All the above mediums present a very huge opportunity for youth engagement in Zambia. The issues identified above would form the basis for programme formulation.

Non-Formal Activities

Social Networks

The internet especially Facebook has proved to be the best informal way of engaging young people in generating campaign messages over issues that affect them.

Young People Vs Media

The young people are so pro-active in using the media to advance their agenda. Its therefore important to promote the use of communication gadgets such as mobile phones that have proved to be very useful in information dissemination.

Internet, Radio, Television, Newspapers