BY LINDELWA MYENI
MBABANE– Young emaSwati have been challenged to use their creativity and innovative ideas to solve challenges facing their communities and help build a greener and more prosperous Eswatini, with Government stressing that the country’s future depends on a generation willing to turn problems into opportunities.
Minister of Tinkhundla Development and Administration Skhumbuzo Dlamini who stood in for Minister of Information, Communications and Technology Savannah Maziya made the call during the launch of the MTN PachiPanda Lebusasa Lemvelo Challenge 2026, where he encouraged young people to take an active role in addressing challenges facing their communities.
“Your country needs your ideas. Your communities need your creativity,” said Dlamini.
The Minister, said young people had an important role to play in building a greener, more sustainable and prosperous Eswatini.
He said the country’s greatest resource was not only what lay beneath the ground or existed within its natural environment, but also the creativity and ingenuity of its people.
Dlamini said some of the solutions to tomorrow’s challenges could already be in the minds of young people in rural communities, colleges, workshops and small start-ups.
He said initiatives such as the PachiPanda Challenge provided a platform for these ideas to be brought forward, tested and developed into solutions that could make a difference.
The Minister said the green economy was already becoming an economic imperative, with countries that supported green innovation better positioned to create sustainable growth and opportunities for their people.
The challenge focuses on issues affecting communities and the economy, including food security, climate-resilient agriculture, water security, restoration of natural ecosystems, sustainable energy and circular economy solutions.
Dlamini also emphasised the importance of digital skills in driving the green economy, saying technology, digital platforms, smart systems and data would increasingly support sustainable enterprises.
He said the aim should not only be to prepare young people to find employment, but also to equip them to create businesses, solutions and opportunities for others.
Dlamini encouraged young people not to wait until they had everything figured out before acting on their ideas.
“Start with the problem you can see around you. Start with the idea you believe can make a difference. Work with others. Learn. Test your idea. Improve it,” he said.
He officially declared the MTN PachiPanda Likusasa Lemvelo Challenge 2026 open for applications, encouraging young innovators from across the Kingdom to participate.
Dlamini said the challenge was opening a pathway for innovation, environmental stewardship and enterprise development towards a greener and more sustainable Eswatini.
He further thanked MTN Eswatini and its partners for supporting young people and contributing to efforts aimed at preserving the environment.
“Let us support our young people. Let us support innovation. And together let us unlock the opportunities that exist within Africa’s green economy,” he said.
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(Courtesy Pic)
