Youth Empowerment on Social and Economic Development

YESED, Empowering Rural Youth through Technology Access

Youth Empowerment on Social and Economic Development (YESED) aims to bridge the digital divide for young people in rural areas of Lilongwe by establishing a Youth Tech Centre—inside Saint Francis Parish—equipped with laptops and desktops. The centre offers computer literacy training, access to digital tools, tailoring, a space for innovation, employment preparation, and entrepreneurship. The goal is to equip youth with 21st-century skills, enhancing their opportunities for education, income generation, and civic engagement.

Our centre has been operational since 1999 and is committed to achieving the following objectives:

1.    Improve digital literacy among rural youth through structured training programmes.

2.    Provide free access to computers and the internet in an inclusive, youth-friendly space.

3.    Enhance employability by teaching essential skills such as typing, word processing, spreadsheets, internet research, and email usage.

4.    Support creative and entrepreneurial pursuits with design software, coding resources (a project), and mentorship.

5.    Foster community-led innovation by offering workshops on local problem-solving using digital tools.

Our target group is youth aged between 13 and 30 years in underserved communities of rural Lilongwe, especially out-of-school youth, young women, and those with limited access to electricity and devices.

Key needs of our project:

-   Procurement and setup of 15 laptops and 15 desktop computers,

-   Installation of solar energy backup system to ensure reliable power,

-   Free computer literacy classes in Chichewa and English,

-   Youth mentorship programs with trained digital champions,

-   Open-access hours for research, CV writing, online courses, and digital content