Guyu youth training centre set to reopen after 19-year hiatus

The National Youth Service (NYS) training programme is set to resume this month at the Guyu Youth Training Centre in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, following nearly two decades of dormancy. The revival comes after the government allocated funding for the rehabilitation of the institution's facilities.

The centre, last operational in 2006, boasts 24 hostel blocks with a capacity to accommodate 1,000 students. Approximately 500 youths drawn from all 10 provinces are expected to participate in the six-month programme, which combines three months of in-camp instruction with three months of community-based attachment.

Renovation works at the institution are already underway, with efforts focused on restoring essential infrastructure such as plumbing, electrical systems, and sanitation.

Speaking in an interview, Matabeleland South Provincial Centre Head responsible for Youth Service Training, Ms Mildred Nembahe, confirmed that the training programme will begin on Sunday, 11 May 2025.

"The preparations are at an advanced stage. We've finalised quotations for plumbing, sanitary fittings, and electrical installations. This will ensure the centre is ready to welcome trainees after 19 years of closure," said Ms Nembahe.

The centre had ceased operations in 2006 due to persistent water shortages linked to malfunctioning pumps. During the hiatus, NYS training was relocated to Kaguvi Vocational Training Centre in the Midlands Province and Mashayamombe in Mashonaland West.

To address the water challenge, a solar-powered borehole will be drilled at the Guyu centre under the Presidential Borehole Scheme. The project is expected to support agricultural training and boost the centre's capacity for self-sustenance.

"This borehole will not only solve water supply issues but also empower trainees with agricultural and survival skills. It will support projects like poultry, goat rearing, crop farming and other forms of agri-business," Ms Nembahe noted.

She emphasised that the training programme seeks to instil patriotism, discipline, and practical skills in the youth, aligning with President Emmerson Mnangagwa's development philosophy: "Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo / Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo" - "A nation is built by its own people."

"Youths must realise their role in national development. We want them to stop waiting for jobs and instead create employment through the skills acquired here," she said.

Beyond technical skills, the NYS programme places strong emphasis on values such as teamwork, respect, hard work, and cultural identity. Ms Nembahe said the training also aims to address social issues like drug and substance abuse, new HIV infections, and rising youth crime by grooming responsible and engaged citizens.

"If our youth are empowered and disciplined, they will help reduce social ills and contribute to a stronger nation," she said.

According to a recent Cabinet update, the hostel renovation project is currently 30 percent complete. It forms part of the government's first 100-day cycle for 2025, spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training.

The government envisions that by 2030, the National Youth Service Programme will have developed a generation of well-cultured, disciplined, and skilled youths who uphold Zimbabwean values and actively contribute to the country's growth.