ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TAILORING VOCATIONAL SKILLS ON IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOODS OF YOUTH IN MTANDILE COMMUNITY

Youth unemployment remains a serious socio-economic challenge in Malawi, particularly in urban and peri-urban communities such as Mtandile in Lilongwe City. Many young people lack access to formal employment opportunities and do not possess practical vocational skills that can support sustainable livelihoods. In response to this challenge, vocational training programmes, especially in tailoring, have been promoted as an alternative means of improving youth employment and self-reliance. This study assessed the effectiveness of tailoring vocational skills in enhancing the livelihoods of youths in Mtandile community.

The study adopted a mixed-methods research design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to obtain comprehensive findings. A total of 36 youths aged between 18 and 35 years who had undergone tailoring vocational training were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.1, mainly employing descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.

The findings revealed that the majority of the youths acquired essential tailoring skills, including cutting, sewing, garment construction, and operating sewing machines. These technical skills enabled many participants to engage in self-employment and small-scale tailoring activities. However, the study also found that most youths lacked adequate business management and entrepreneurial skills, which limited their ability to expand and sustain their tailoring enterprises. Key challenges identified included limited access to start-up capital, insufficient sewing machines, high costs of tailoring materials, and gender-related barriers that affected participation and productivity.

Despite these challenges, the study found notable improvements in the livelihoods of the youths. Participants reported increased income levels, improved employment status, enhanced self-confidence, and greater financial independence. The study concludes that tailoring vocational training has positively contributed to youth livelihood enhancement and self-reliance in Mtandile community. It therefore recommends strengthening vocational training programmes by incorporating entrepreneurship training, improving access to start-up resources, and providing ongoing support to ensure sustainable youth livelihoods.