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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
CBZ has joined hands with Empowered Life Trust to assist budding entrepreneurs in Matabeleland North province under the Youth Entrepreneurs Programme (YEP).

The initiative is seen as a launch pad for the young generation to find their niche and contribute to the country’s economic blue-print, Zim-Asset, said life coach, Mr Jonah Mungoshi, during a training workshop last week.

About 40 youths from Victoria Falls representing Matabeleland North province attended the event in the resort town.

YEP is a partnership between CBZ Holdings who this year increased allocation from $48 000 to $110 000, Star FM and Empowered Life Trust, which is a non profit making organisation.

CBZ launched the programme last year to give young entrepreneurs between 18 and 35, a practical and results-based initiative to produce growth-oriented profitable businesses that are run professionally.

This year the programme has been expanded to include Gutu and Umzingwane communities.

“This is a national programme that started last year as a partnership between Empowered Life Trust, CBZ and Star Fm.

“We decided to come up with this initiative where we go around the country to help youths and empower them to start businesses that are growth oriented,” said Mr Mungoshi.

He said those who benefited in the first edition were flourishing in their businesses.

“This programme has been a launch pad for youths. If we look at developing the country, we need employment for our young people and in order for us to create employment we need to create a large number of entrepreneurs who start business.

“That’s precisely what we are doing and we see this as way of practically implementing some of the aspects of Zim-Asset,” said Mr Mungoshi.

Last year top 10 performers were selected from each province with two top performers receiving seed capital. The teams were expected to conduct similar training in Gwanda and Umzingwane in Matabeleland South this week.

Participants from each of the 10 provinces will be selected to go to the next round where selection would be based on performance and responsiveness to the given assignments.

The programme seeks to improve Zimbabwe youths through offering business opportunities for employment creation. Eventual prize winners will pocket $1 000 with a grand prize of $10 000.

Participants were invited to apply through a programme on Star FM, social media and CBZ bank branches. Each youth entreprenuer is required to start businesses that make profits and are run professionally within a period of 90 days.

The first phase of the programme involves visits to all the 10 provinces to deliver public “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” workshops for the youth.

CBZ group senior marketing manager Mr Joel Gombera said YEP is nurturing a new generation of (growth oriented) business persons.

“Many young Zimbabweans graduating from universities, colleges and high schools have no option but to become entrepreneurs due to lack of employment.

“The programme seeks to improve Zimbabwe youths including those who are in the rural areas through offering business opportunities, which will in turn create employment opportunities,” he said.

Mr Gombera said youths in those areas will be required to team up and form consortiums and come up with sustainable community projects that are entrepreneurial, to develop themselves and their communities at large.

Mr Farai Makuvaro, proprietor of a bicycle tour company in Victoria Falls last year won the top prize worth $1 000 in Matabeleland North province. — @ncubeleon