Copper Rose Zambia hosted the second annual Youth Rise Up Summit (YRUS) on 25 and 26 November 2022 at the Mika Convention Center in Chongwe. This year’s theme was “Building Resilient Youth Through Education and Innovation.” The virtual event on 25 November offered 3 online sessions on financial literacy and entrepreneurship, civic engagement and technologies, and sexual reproductive health and rights and HIV/AIDS. Over 300 youths participated and shared their thoughts during the virtual sessions. The physical event on 26 November had insightful sessions on how to make your first K100,000 HIV prevention, Education, Technology and Science – the sessions were attended by over 200 youths.
The Youth Rise Up Summit is an annual youth summit that seeks to provide young people between 18 – 35 years in Zambia a platform to connect with hundreds of other young people. It is also an opportunity to inspire them by sharing examples of impactful initiatives implemented by their peers at local, national and global level. During the summit, Copper Rose Zambia Chief Executive Officer Dr. Natasha Salifyanji Kaoma pledged her commitment to support collaboration between youths and the Zambian Government so that youths talents and skills can be utilized in a positive way.
Loveness Zulu, a participant at the Youth Rise Up Summit shared that, “The most important thing that I learned at this year’s summit is how youths should cooperate or sensitize their views as they talk to fellow adolescents on SRHR information and how they should motivate and value themselves. I also learned how adolescents can make their first 100,000 kwacha. I really liked the Youth Rise Up Summit, it taught me a lot and it was very fun and motivating.” Lasford Sichilyango, a peer educator at CRZ and attendee at the summit said that, “what I loved about the summit is that it was interactive, fun and I learned a lot. I really enjoyed the last session on entrepreneurship and how to make your first 100,000 kwacha because I’m aspiring to be an entrepreneur and I could relate with the content.” We were extremely fortunate to have thrilling speakers such as Mwaba Bwanga, Jayne Mazimba, Pilato, Thabo Joy Maiye, Grace Kakoma, Kapalasa Phiri, Emmanuel Chilongo and more. These speakers were deeply empowering and motivating to our youthful attendees who were able to directly ask them questions after the sessions were completed. During a plenary discussion on how to make your first k100,000 one of the speakers emphasized that “It is better to start small or slow, what matters is how you finish. Success is a game of consistency” Immanuel Mwanza, Additionally, we were treated to incredible performances by B Flow and Circus Zambia as attendees danced and sang along with the Zambian hip hop artist and performing arts group.
Dr. Angel Mwiche who represented the Ministry of Health spoke at the summit and reiterated the ministry’s efforts to alleviate increasing child marriage and teenage pregnancy rates through the creation of more youth friendly services. “To keep safe from HIV, STIs and unwanted pregnancies, encourage young people to abstain from sex until they are old enough to make informed decisions and until they have reached the legal age to have sex” Dr. Bupe, Ministry of Health. Youth Rise Up Summit participant and CRZ peer educator Chilundika Mwiinga had this to say,“I learned that for one to start a business you don’t need to have a huge capital but you have to identify the problems the community is facing in order for your business to be unique.”
We are already looking forward to next year’s summit where we will have an even more diverse group of speakers, performers and topics as we aim to equip youth with knowledge that will make a difference in their lives in many years to come.
