Business skills training for war vets

THE National Business Council of Zimbabwe (NBCZ) has embarked on nationwide capacity-building and training programmes for war veterans to venture into sustainable incomegenerating projects with the goal of including them in Government’s Vision 2030.

NBCZ president Dr Keith Guzah (pictured above) said war veterans, women and youths were part of the all-important matrix of making Zimbabwe great again and should be included in projects that grow the economy.

“We are heeding the call from President Mnangagwa that ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ and want to make sure that key constituencies such as the war vets, women and youths are well equipped to be meaningful participants in the new dispensation,” he said.

He said NBCZ would conduct a basic nationwide census to establish data on the number of war vets, women and youths to be part of the financial inclusion programmes being funded by various institutions.

Dr Guzah said the engagement drive would be taken across the country to bring on board other stakeholders who were willing to support the groups financially.

He said the first meeting took place in Harare and all stakeholders that were engaged had pledged to support the war vets through their financial inclusion programmes.

“Once we have established the numbers that need training and capacity building through the data collection exercise that begins in the first week of January 2019, we will then roll out our basic business management two-week programme,” he said.

Manicaland war veterans association chairman Cde Gift Kagweda said through this programme, they wanted to ensure that war vets are part of the national economic development agenda.

“We want to exploit the opportunities that are in the business community so that we do away with this Government dependence syndrome we have developed where we beg for money to make ends meet for our families.

“We also want to participate in national economic development to achieve Vision 2030. This is why we have approached the business community so that they assist us with business knowledge,” he said.

He said war veterans would also organise themselves and ensure that everyone was included in such programmes.