Lack of opportunities, unemployment worry Panda residents

Norman Songa (34)

I am a resident, I was born here. I was in Kasane and Kazungula a few years ago but since I got here, I have realised that there are no formal employment opportunities only farm jobs. The opportunities come during the busy periods like planting and harvesting. But after that, if you were not engaged on a permanent basis you are left to struggle without source of income. Life for a youth in Pandamantega is good and bad at the same time. This is because there are challenges such as low wages and some of the companies that come here leave after completing their work. I have never worked anywhere since I returned to Panda after school. I currently run a business where I transport farm workers. As for land, many people are being allocated residential plots here but I don’t have one because I live in our old home. Going forward, I think the youth need to be empowered with farming equipment since this area is centred on farming. ISPAAD (Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development) doesn’t always work because we end up missing the critical planting periods.