Every year universitiess and colleges pour thousnads of young graduates in abor markets, where whte collar job opportunities are very scarce. As a result most of them end up jobless despite he fact that the country has a wide range of untapped opportunities in agriculture--livestock keeping, bee keeping, fishing, entrepreneurship, mining and tree planting.
But, large number of youth are not interested in engaging in those sectors as most of them want to be employed, rather than being job creators, something which needs to be addressed by encouraging them to change their mindsets by exploring the available natural resources in a sustainable manner—that is land, water sources, rivers, minerals, natural forests, marine ecosystems, and wildlife habitats.
By engaging in climate smart agriculture, youth would be able to conserve the country’s environment as well as creating employment opportunities, hence reducing unemployment rate in Tanzania.
In response to the challenge, the Morogoro-based Sustainable Holistic Development Foundation (Suhode) has embarked on a programme aimed at empowering young graduates with entrepreneurial skills that makes them become job-creators as part of complimenting government’s move to address youth unemployment and scale up environmental conservation.
“We’re empowering them with skills on self-determination, engaging on various sources of income apart from depending on one source of income, and self-employment,” Frank Luvanda, foundation's director said.
He said that the foundation also helps vulnerable group through contributing on their basic needs in order to achieve their goals, by doing so this helps youth to engage directly or indirectly in contributing to environmental conservation and on sustainable livelihood mechanisms which are friendly to the environment.
The foundation also engages young graduates in different environment conservation initiatives—protecting natural forests, water sources, wildlife habitats, river banks, and marine ecology, he said.
In this area, the foundation has been promoting the effective use of Improved Cook Stoves (ICSs) which contribute in reducing biomass consumption in the form of charcoal and firewood from natural forests.
According to Luvanda, Suhode Foundation in collaboration with WWF Tanzania and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) is implementing a project entitled “Leading the Change (LtC): Civil Societies, Rights, and Environment Program” in facilitating women and youth in undertaking actual making of Affordable Improved Cook Stoves (AICSs) at Mchakama Village, Kilwa District, Lindi Region.
In this programme, he said women and youth are empowered with various entrepreneurial skills, due to the fact that they are highly affected by negative impacts of climate change fueled by destruction of natural forests.
The organization also engages local communities on various issues that are of benefit to local communities as an incentive for their good work in conserving natural forests such as solar installation at Mchakama Primary School, and Mchakama Health Dispensary.
“Construction of affordable improved cook stoves not only focuses on households but also institutions and business areas such as restaurants,” he said.
Fatuma Abi Kapanda, a young lady who owns a small restaurant, who described Affordable Improved Cook Stoves as very efficient cooking tool.
“I am really happy and encouraged now to do my business effectively. I depend on this business to support my kids so that they can go to school and have their meals every day. My biggest challenge was on firewood, before this Improved Cook Stove, I used to buy four bundles of firewood or go to collect firewood four times per week; but now I buy only two! And if I decide to go to collect firewood myself, I only go twice a week! I am really grateful for this improved cook stoves, it serves my money and time!”
“I thank Suhode Foundation, local government authorities for their contribution including provision of introductory letters, permission to implement the project, conducting village general meetings, and trainings,” she said.
Allan Moses, foundation’s field operation officer lauded WWF-TCO and SIDA for their financial and technical backstopping in the implementation of the project in the Ruvuma Landscape.
He called on the government to impose mandatory uses of improved cook stoves for the purpose of reducing biomass consumption at households and institutional levels for the purpose of conserving natural forests, water sources, river banks, marine ecology and wildlife habitats.
