The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
THE Universal Church of the Kingdom of God last Saturday hosted a Youth Power Group (YPG) conference at the Harare gardens to empower youths on how to deal with life’s challenges.
Running under the theme ‘Learn to Say No’, the awareness and transformation program was organised by Pastor Sukoluhle Ndlovu.
“We organised this event mainly to impart the youth with the message of God, specifically to transform their lives were social changes have become typical of the contemporary society with unhealthy social habits like prostitution, drug abuse and child marriages recurring.
“The YPG conference also took place in Mutare, Bulawayo and Gweru on the same day. We have held this gathering consistently for the past four years. This year our attendance was on average more than 5000 for the whole of Zimbabwe,” said Pastor Ndlovu.
UCKG Bishop Justice Colidiza said YPG focuses mainly on transforming the lives of the youths through various programs like peer education symposiums.
“Understanding is important, so we deal with the mind first then everything else later because the youth are the future. Hence we saw the need to save them during these critical times.”
There has been increased abuse of illicit drugs while an increase of young girls on the streets in pursuit of commercial sex has also been witnessed.
Zimdancehall artiste, Energy Sylvester Chizanga affectionately known as Freeman urged other musicians to partner churches to achieve a drug free generation.
The YPG is hosted annually with more than 700 participants taking part this year.
In addition, UCKG has also donated food to the needy and uniforms to the prisoners. Recently, they conducted a child marriage awareness programme at Ngozi Mine in Bulawayo.
Since its initiation four years ago, YPG’s mission is to create a drug free generation, reduce the suicide rate to zero while advancing the kingdom of God.
