ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Officials in northwestern Nimroz province have distributed work equipment to 150 youths who graduated from vocational training courses, with some participants describing unemployment as a major challenge and calling for the expansion of such programmes.
The six-month training programme was launched by the Labour and Social Affairs Department with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The programme recently concluded, and certificates and work equipment were distributed to the graduates on Monday.
Youths: Work equipment will help us start our businesses
Rahmatullah, one of the participants who received work equipment, said he had been unemployed before joining the programme because he lacked a profession and the necessary tools to work.
“I was unemployed and did not know how to earn an income through a profession. Now I have learned a skill and have been provided with work equipment. I can use these tools to start working for myself and earn an income,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Rasool, another participant who received training in tailoring, said the equipment would help him pursue his profession independently after completing the training.
“Learning a profession alone is not enough if we do not have the necessary tools. Now I can use this equipment to start working, and I hope to establish a small workshop in the future and create job opportunities for other youths,” he said.
Calls for expansion of such programmes
Mohammad Rasool described unemployment and economic difficulties as major causes of problems in society.
“Unemployment has forced young people to migrate abroad, where they face hundreds of problems both during the journey and in the countries where they settle,” he said.
He called for the continuation of such programmes, saying that providing training and employment opportunities could encourage more young people to remain and work in the country.
Mirwais Zalmizada, another unemployed youth, said: “If there were no unemployment, most young people would not be willing to migrate, because migration brings nothing but pain, hopelessness and hardship.”
He also called for the expansion of vocational training and the distribution of work equipment to youths not only in Nimroz but across the country.
Official stresses continuation of youth training, employment programmes
Labour and Social Affairs Director Mawlawi Mohammad Qasim Mubashir told Pajhwok Afghan News that 150 youths had received theoretical and practical training in carpentry, tailoring and other skills over a six-month period at the directorate’s Technical and Vocational Education Centre.
He said the programme was implemented with support from UNICEF to create employment opportunities and promote the economic self-reliance of young people.
He said work kits and equipment were also distributed to the participants on Monday at the end of the programme.
According to Mubashir, the purpose of distributing the equipment was to enable the youths to start working and generate income after completing their training.
He added that work kits and equipment would also be distributed to another 130 trainees who had received technical training in mobile phone repair, tailoring, refrigerator repair and air-conditioning repair.
Mubashir welcomed the support of partner organisations in vocational training and creating employment opportunities for young people and stressed the continuation of such programmes to empower youths and expand employment opportunities.
hz/kk
