ZAMBIA Episcopal Conference (ZEC) president Bishop George Lungu has observed that the world has become cruel for youths to survive.

In his message to mark Youth Day which falls today, Bishop Lungu who is also Chipata Catholic Diocese head said it was very frustrating to learn what youths were going through.

“I feel sorry for our youths because the majority of them are a neglected lot. Most of them have no hope in life at all, they just exist. They have no vision in life. They cannot aspire to do something, they just exist,” Bishop Lungu said on Wednesday.

He said sometimes it was not right to blame youths for whatever they engaged in.

“If they go into early marriages, this is an issue of hopelessness and helplessness. What else can I do if I don’t do anything to be like the rest? Get married, have children, things couldn’t work, grow up and die,” Bishop Lungu said.

He said nothing much was being done for the survival of the majority of the youths.

“They have no survival skills given unto them. There are so many NGOs and so many organisations that have amassed wealth in the name of the youths, claiming that they have programmes meant to help the youths but that is not true,” he said.

“These programmes are meant to enrich themselves in the name of the youths. There are monies allocated even in the budget but I don’t know whether that money is going to the youths. And so we end up with a frustrated youth.

“The Youth Day is a very important day for the youths themselves to shout aloud to these organisations, to our churches, to the government about their concerns.

We need time to reflect on their plight. It does not help anybody to have this political statement or a church leader… if there is nothing that is happening on the ground.”

He said the time had come for people to address the plight of Zambian youths.

“One thing that makes me sad about the youths is that corruption has reached certain levels such that there is no hope for the youths.

Others are qualified but are failing to find employment. Interviews are being held but at the time they are held, people who interview others know already who have been employed, who have been engaged, but they go public as if there is a possibility for employment for this desperate youth,” Bishop Lungu said.

He said most of the time jobs were given to those that had some ‘connections’.

“I think that if we are not very, very careful we are sitting on a time bomb. We should take this thing very seriously because if youths come to a point where they feel there is nothing to use, then they do anything when chance provides. And that is why in some countries you have riots, they go looting.

They feel that’s the tool to survive in this cruel world,” Bishop Lungu said. “And so to the youths I am saying, happy Youth Day. In our society there are individuals who are genuinely concerned about your plight and look at your situation and your condition and they are doing something positive.

Respond positively to these gestures, respond positively to these people who are genuinely concerned about your difficulties. Collaborate with them because they are there for you.”

He urged youths not to give up but to get more organised so that their Youth Day could have meaning as opposed to just dancing and shouting aloud.

“Speak on behalf of those that think to them Youth Day is nothing, it doesn’t mean anything in the very rural areas where the day passes without anything happening.

Speak on their behalf because they are your brothers and sisters. You are in privileged positions some of you to even address political figures, religious figures, personalities. Don’t hide, that is your moment. Strike when the iron is still hot, take advantage of your day,” he said.

Bishop Lungu said the youthful stage was very tricky because it was delicate.