‘Entrepreneurship can rescue youths’
THE National Association of Youth Organisations (NAYO) has said entrepreneurship is the meal ticket for youths to worm their way out of poverty in a country plagued by high joblessness.
According to Unicef, the percentage of youth unemployment in Zimbabwe currently stands at 35%.
Speaking during the Tasimuka Youth Entrepreneurship Activity launch in Chitungwiza, NAYO monitoring, evaluation, research and learning manager, McDonald Munyoro said entrepreneurship programmes such as Tasimuka aim to contribute to improved resilience and sustainability of youth entrepreneurship development ecosystems.
“The activity entails nurturing young entrepreneurial talent with high-impact and a scalable enterprise, the activity is set to inspire and equip young visionaries with the necessary skills, knowledge and resources to thrive in today's fast-paced business environment,” Munyoro said.
“With youth unemployment rates on the rise and the need for innovation becoming increasingly critical, the Tasimuka Youth Entrepreneurship activity recognises the imperative to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
Munyoro said the Tasimuka Youth Entrepreneurship project will foster a vibrant ecosystem that encourages and supports young individuals to transform their businesses into high-impact and scalable enterprises.
“This transformative activity aims to inspire, equip and support young individuals as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys, driving innovation and economic growth in our community.
“The Tasimuka Youth Entrepreneurship Activity recognises the multi-dimensional and intersectional challenges faced by young entrepreneurs and seeks to address them through integrated interventions organised along three pillars.”
He further said the Tasimuka project, which has a strong alignment with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) objectives, seeks to contribute to the promotion of new enterprise development, employment and job creation in Zimbabwe.
“It further supports the macroeconomic objective of accelerating value-addition and beneficiation of agriculture and mining production, as outlined in the NDS1 plan.
“In today's rapidly evolving world, the need for entrepreneurial talent has never been greater. The Tasimuka Youth Entrepreneurship activity recognises the immense potential of young visionaries and understands the critical role they play in shaping the future,” Munyoro added.