New youth organisation launched
YOUTH Economic Forum Zimbabwe (YEF-Zim), a local organisation that seeks to uplift youth-led businesses, was launched in the capital yesterday.
It plans to engage in projects to create jobs and develop communities, as well as to enter into strategic partnerships that drive the growth of youth enterprises.
YEF-Zim president Ms Ruvimbo Nyakazeya said the organisation seeks to become the premier vehicle for impactful investment in Sub-Saharan Africa through providing business skills training, access to finance, markets and economic research.
“We have come up with this initiative to create avenues for partnerships and collaborations among the youths as we work with the Government to push towards the achievement of Vision 2030,” she said.
“We want to empower as many youths as we can. We believe our youths have great ideas and plans, but have nowhere to turn to; that is why we are here . . . We are targeting the rural areas for projects such as solar and Information Communication Technology (ICTs) and anything that raises the economy of Zimbabwe. We see ourselves having helped more than 5 000 youth-led business in the next five years.”
YEF-Zim executive chairperson Mr Simbarashe Gwenzi said the forum’s model of development makes use of market-oriented approaches.
“We believe it is not because we lack entrepreneurial talent that we are underdeveloped, rather it is because that talent has remained invisible and thus as YEF-Zim, we will reach out to young entrepreneurs whose talent is untapped.”
He said YEF-Zim seeks to involve youths in Zimbabwe in economic development and governance by creating a forum for constructive and fact-based discussions on economic, social and developmental issues, including linking the public, private sector and the international community.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) principal director responsible for microfinance Mr Simbarashe Mashonganyika and chief director of communications in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Mr Clive Mphambela were some of the guests at the launch.
Officials from EmpowerBank and Zimbabwe Youth Council took time to answer questions during a plenary discussion on proper ways of running a business as well as on how to secure loans.
EmpowerBank acting chief executive officer Mr Shadreck Mhembere said they were grateful that youths had joined hands to form a representative body.
“We want to assure youths that we will give them financial inclusion in the form of training on financial literacy and offer them banking services. They can come and get capital to start their businesses,” he said.