National Youth Development Council - Zambia

NYDC Western Province Hub office today participated in the 7th GRZ-ICOF Graduation Ceremony that took place at Accams in Mongu.

Congratulations to all the graduates 🎓

NYDC PARTICIPATES IN THE PROVINCIAL ADOLESCENT HEALTH INDABA

NYDC Eastern province hub office, participated in the Provincial Adolescent Indaba that was held under the theme Ascertaining the Role of Young People in Enhancing Prevention, Ending Epidemics and Advancing Equitable Health Systems for all. The event was held on 28th to 29th May, 2026 and was graced by the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) Dr Lewis Mwape.

During the event, the Council also took time to share information on registration and youth empowerment. Additionally, the DPS interacted with young people from NYCD registered organizations.

🇿🇲 CONGRATULATIONS TO ELIZABETH MAANDA SIANGA — “THE YOUNG FARMER MAANDA”

The National Youth Development Council (NYDC) proudly congratulates Elizabeth Maanda Sianga on receiving the Presidential Insignia of Meritorious Achievement 🏅👏🏽

This remarkable achievement is a true reflection of your hard work, resilience, innovation, and commitment to transforming the agricultural sector while inspiring thousands of young people across the country. 🌱🇿🇲

Your journey continues to prove that young people have the power to drive national development and create lasting impact through determination and purpose.

To all young people, let this achievement remind you that your dreams are valid. Stay focused, work hard, believe in your abilities, and never be afraid to pursue your passion. Zambia needs your ideas, energy, and leadership.

Congratulations once again, Young Farmer Maanda! Your success is an inspiration to an entire generation. 👏🏽🇿🇲

Strengthening Condom Stock Management Through Capacity Building and Multi-Sectoral Collaboration

The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, in collaboration with the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) and with support from UNFPA, successfully hosted a two-day Integrated Capacity Building and Training Meeting on the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for condom stock management.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health (MOH), Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), National AIDS Council (NAC), District AIDS Coordinating Advisors (DACAs), and Youth Resource Centre (YRC) Managers.

The training focused on strengthening collaboration within the supply chain system and enhancing procedures for ordering, receiving, storing, monitoring, and reporting condom stocks through the development of harmonised SOPs, alongside improved utilisation of the National AIDS Council Management Information System (NACMIS).

During the sessions, representatives from MOH and ZAMMSA provided guidance on the roles and responsibilities of DACAs, YRC Managers, and other stakeholders involved in condom logistics and stock management. Participants also underwent practical training on NACMIS to strengthen data management, reporting accuracy, and monitoring systems.

Additionally, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts delivered a presentation on integrating the OOSCE curriculum into skills development programmes as part of broader efforts to promote youth empowerment and development.

NYDC Champions Youth Empowerment in Northwestern Province

As part of the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE) training sponsored by SNV in Solwezi District, Northwestern Province, the National Youth Development Council (NYDC) made a presentation on available youth opportunities.

The session aimed to inform young participants about programs, funding, and support systems designed to improve youth employability and entrepreneurship in Zambia. NYDC highlighted opportunities in skills training, business development services, and linkages to markets, particularly in agri-food, renewable energy, and digital sectors.

The presentation was delivered within the YEE framework, which focuses on addressing structural barriers to youth employment, strengthening youth agency, and connecting young people to economic opportunities. SNV’s YEE project in Zambia works with government, private sector, and civil society partners to create an enabling environment for youth to access jobs and start enterprises.

By presenting at the training, NYDC reinforced the role of government in supporting youth-led development and encouraged participants to take advantage of existing opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods in Solwezi and the wider Northwestern Province.

GOVERNMENT, PARTNERS PUSH FOR STRONGER YOUTH HEALTH SUPPLY SYSTEMS

Government has intensified efforts to strengthen the distribution and management of condoms in Youth Resource Centres across the country as part of broader measures to improve HIV prevention services for young people.

Speaking during the opening of the Integrated Capacity Building and Training Meeting on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Condom Stock Management in Lusaka, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts Mr. Kangwa Chileshe said uninterrupted access to sexual and reproductive health commodities remained critical to youth empowerment and national development.

Mr. Chileshe acknowledged that persistent stockouts, weak coordination, and reporting gaps in the supply chain had affected the availability of condoms at community level, undermining efforts to protect young people from HIV infections and other sexual and reproductive health risks.

He said the Ministry was now prioritising a unified Standard Operating Procedure and enhanced use of the National AIDS Council Management Information System (NACMIS) to improve ordering, stock monitoring, reporting, and distribution systems across districts and Youth Resource Centres.

The Permanent Secretary was represented by the Director of Youth Ms. Mable Beene Nedziwe.

And UNFPA Country Representative Mr. Seth Broekman warned that Zambia’s growing youth population faced increasing vulnerability to HIV, unintended pregnancies, and gender-based violence if access to prevention services remained inconsistent.

Mr. Broekman noted that although national condom stocks were generally sufficient, gaps in last-mile delivery continued to disrupt access in communities. He stressed that strengthening local supply chain systems and improving real-time data management were key to preventing shortages and improving service delivery.

The two-day training workshop which is being attended by officials from UNFPA, the Ministry of Health, ZAMMSA, the National AIDS Council, District AIDS Coordinators, and Youth Resource Centre managers is expected to produce a validated SOP, strengthen coordination among key institutions, and equip frontline officers with skills to effectively manage condom stocks and reporting systems across the country.

Fellow Citizens of Zambia,

As we approach the dissolution of the Thirteenth National Assembly, I do so with profound gratitude, humility, and reflection on the rare honour and privilege bestowed upon me to serve our beloved nation as Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts.

Coming from a humble background as a marketeer, I could never have imagined that one day I would be entrusted with the opportunity to serve as a Cabinet Minister of the Republic of Zambia. It remains one of the greatest honours of my life and a journey that continues to remind me that through faith, perseverance, and the grace of God, even the most ordinary citizen can be called upon to serve their country at the highest level.

I am fully aware that my appointment to this position came with varied opinions and expectations. Many questioned whether someone from the marketplace, Chisokone, was suited for such responsibility. I may not have been considered the ideal candidate for this office by some. However, through the support, encouragement, patience, and belief of many of you, we were able to walk this journey together in pursuit of a better Zambia.

To have been entrusted with the responsibility of helping shape the future of our young people, advancing sports development, and supporting the growth of arts and culture in Zambia has been one of the greatest privileges and honours of my public life.

In this regard, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, for the confidence and trust he placed in me to serve in this important national office. His belief in someone of my humble background gave me an opportunity not only to serve, but also to demonstrate that leadership and national service should never be limited by where one comes from.

To the people of Zambia, I say thank you. Thank you for your support, your encouragement, your patience, your criticism, your prayers, and your belief in the work we sought to accomplish together. Public service is never an individual journey, and whatever accomplishments may have been recorded during my tenure were only possible because of the dedication, sacrifice, and commitment of countless individuals who shared a common belief in a better Zambia.

The years I have been privileged to serve as Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts were not without challenges. There were difficult moments, demanding decisions, and circumstances that tested our resolve as leaders and as a nation. There were times when we may have disagreed, argued passionately, or made decisions that stirred debate and controversy regarding the direction or methods we chose. Yet every decision was made from a place of deep care and sincere concern for the future of our country and its people.

Leadership often requires courage to take difficult paths, resilience in moments of criticism, and determination to remain focused even when the journey becomes uncomfortable. Throughout this period, our objective remained clear: to create opportunities for the youth, strengthen sports structures, empower artists and creatives, and inspire hope among the people of Zambia.

I remain fully aware that none of what we achieved could have been accomplished alone. Every milestone recorded was the result of teamwork, collective effort, and shared vision. Behind every initiative stood committed public servants, stakeholders, athletes, artists, youth leaders, administrators, and ordinary citizens who believed that together we could move Zambia forward.

In this regard, I wish to pay special tribute to the hardworking staff at the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts. To all Permanent Secretaries, directors, technocrats, officers, support staff, and every member of the Ministry family, I remain deeply grateful for your professionalism and dedication during my tenure of office. Some of you joined the Ministry during my period of service, while others have faithfully served the institution from the very beginning. Regardless of when you came on board, each one of you played a vital role in helping us fulfil our mandate to the people of Zambia.

Your support, counsel, patience, and tireless efforts formed the backbone of every achievement we celebrated. I carry with me immense respect and appreciation for the sacrifices you made in service to our nation.

To the youths of Zambia, our athletes, coaches, sports administrators, musicians, actors, dancers, filmmakers, and all creatives across the country, thank you for reminding us daily of the limitless potential our nation possesses. Your resilience, talent, and determination continue to inspire hope for a brighter tomorrow.

To the people of Zambia, and indeed the people of Kaputa District, once again, thank you for allowing me the privilege to serve. You carry the memory of the history we made together, and you will forever have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful Minister.

As this chapter draws to a close, I leave office with a heart full of gratitude, pride in what we collectively achieved, and unwavering faith in the future of our nation.

May God richly bless you all, and may God continue to bless the Republic of Zambia.





Thank you.

ZAMBIA ADVANCES THE YOUTH, PEACE AND SECURITY (YPS) AGENDA AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON YPS

The National Youth Development Council (NYDC), represented by Ms. Sandra Kambuleki, Acting Director Programmes and Partnerships, participated in a high-level stakeholder meeting aimed at advancing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda and supporting the development of Zambia’s National Action Plan on YPS.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), SADC, the African Union, UNDP Zambia, and the African Youth Ambassador for Peace - Southern Africa, Ms. Ruth K. Kangwa, in support of a coordinated and inclusive national YPS process.

As a member of the YPS Committee, the National Youth Development Council will play a key role in supporting the development and implementation of the National Action Plan, while ensuring that youth voices, participation, and structures are meaningfully integrated throughout the process.

Happy Labour Day from the NYDC Team!!