15/07/2024
Youth advocate's question to Hichilema opens doors to international representation
WHAT began as a mere question to President Hakainde Hichilema during the launch of the National Youth Policy Indaba early this year has led 23-year-old Ruth Ngoma to represent Zambia on the international stage in New York.
Ngoma was among the many youths attending the National Youth Indaba when she seized the opportunity to ask President Hichilema about Government's plans to monitor the effectiveness of the newly launched policy.
She noted that many policies are introduced without adequate follow-up to ensure their success.
Ngoma told Kalemba that her question made a significant impression on the President.
"He was impressed, in his own words, he said, "Ruth Ngoma, where are you?" And then he said, "that's a very good question." We will take it in and requested the Minister of Youth, Sports and Art Elvis Nkandu to follow it up," recounted Ngoma.
"Then the President goes ahead and says, "We need your number, give us your number." He was interested in the fact that I was interested in policy. He knew I understood the assignment and asked the Minister to look into it."
True to his word, a few days later, Ngoma received a surprising and life-changing call from Nkandu.
She was informed that she had been chosen to represent Zambia at the Economic and Social Forum in the United States.
"I think four, three days after, I received a call from the Minister to be informed that there's an Economic and Social Forum in the USA and that they would like me to represent the country. Trust me, even when the President said his team would get back to me, I thought it was not going to happen but I was very surprised. It came unexpectedly," she shared.
"I went to America for three days, I got the exposure, I represented the country, it was my first international flight, I networked with so many people."
Ngoma is a young entrepreneur who earns a living through her business and studied Science