BY STAFF REPORTER
In a significant push to empower the youth and encourage community development, Kholwani Mangena, the Chamber Secretary of Victoria Falls City Council, has urged the Junior Council to identify and propose projects they wish to see funded in the 2026 budget.
This call to action was made during a recent budget consultation meeting held at Chinotimba Clinic, where concerns about the lack of support for the Junior Council and local youth from the council’s livelihoods program were raised.
Mangena highlighted an opportunity, revealing that the council has earmarked a piece of land specifically for youth-led initiatives, particularly in agriculture.
“Otherwise, on the other projects you have proposed such as poultry in this coming budget, for 2026, we have earmarked some piece of land so that if you want to do poultry, you can do that,” she stated. Her message was clear: youth and women, as well as people with disabilities, must take the initiative to define their projects and funding needs.
The Secretary brought attention to previous efforts made by the council to support marginalized groups, mentioning, “We gave them a piece of land somewhere about three months ago,” referring to the land allocated for various community projects. She encouraged the Junior Council to be proactive in outlining their desired projects, saying, “Identify your projects. Be clear about the projects that you want to do and the funding. And then we can ask the council to fund those.”
Mangena also offered support for fundraising efforts, suggesting that the council could provide initial funding for activities like a talent show to help raise funds for their proposed initiatives. “Before the end of the year, we can do that. For example, maybe you want to do some fundraising. We can give you the money to start that fundraising,” she continued, emphasizing the importance of grassroots efforts in driving change and development.
