Youth in business speak on illegal sanctions

skills development continues to be enhanced through the reconfiguration of technical vocational training centres, leadership development training programmes as well as the nurturing of youth startups in various sectors of the economy.

Apart from the Youth Empowerment Bank, the Second Republic has also established Youth Desks in every ministry to mainstream the needs of the youths while on the other hand the Revised National Youth Policy is providing practical solutions to challenges faced by young people.

Guided by the Second Republic’s development philosophy: Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo, youths said they will not allow the illegal sanctions to derail their development goals.

Fo r more than 20 years, the youth, children a n d vulnerable groups have suffered as a result of the illegal sanctions that have adversely affected the growth of the economy.

The Second Republic has however, come up with several interventions such as the establishment of the Youth Empowerment Bank to enable youths to access loans as it works to mitigate the effects of the sanctions.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial secretary for information and publicity, Cde Addington Mpofu said the sanctions have taught them to be resilient.

“We changed our mindset when we adopted the philosophy ‘ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo’. That on its own has changed our perspective as young people, it has changed our attitude and it has also strengthened us,” he said.

Cde Mpofu commended the Second Republic for crafting policies that target the youth and other vulnerable groups.

“Despite these illegal sanctions, the Second Republic created a conducive environment, which has actually made it easier for young people to empower themselves and be able to navigate the harsh conditions of the sanctions,” he said.

Cde Mpofu said the sanctions are not targeted as claimed by the Western countries as they are affecting even ordinary citizens.

He said as youths they were having challenges when they want to do business transactions outside the country.

Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Tendai Chirau said the sanctions have blocked youths from accessing credit lines.

“For young people in the information and communication technology sector, it is difficult for them to buy ICT gadgets through online platforms such as Alibaba. It is difficult to input the option Zimbabwe as the platform will tell you that you’re restricted by virtue of being from a country under sanctions,” said Cde Chirau.

He however, said the youths have said with or without sanctions they will do all within their powers to grow the economy.

“What the Second Republic is doing to bust those sanctions is giving young people the room to empower themselves and grow the economy. The launch of innovation hubs at universities is another way of ensuring we churn-out graduates that create employment instead of seeking employment,” he said.

He said Zimbabweans were their own liberators and as such cannot continue to mourn about sanctions but should use their own resources to grow the economy.

“Government is creating a conducive environment and that’s why up to this day we are still surviving despite the sanctions,” said Cde