Zimpapers Logo

Hazel Marimbiza
This year the African continent celebrates Africa Day under the theme: “The Arts, Culture And Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want.”

In commemorating Africa Day, the Africa Union Development Agency is focusing on showcasing efforts by the continent’s youths towards building the Africa we want in arts, culture, heritage, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Considering the high levels of unemployment in Africa, commemorating Africa Day with the youths and showcasing their talent particularly through innovation and entrepreneurship is vital as this promotes job creation in the continent.

There are about 600 million young people in Africa that are unemployed, uneducated or are in insecure employment.

Therefore this Africa Day, there is a need to illuminate the need to invest in social and economic development, and especially entrepreneurship in order to meet high demand for employment.

According to research, the entrepreneurial sector contributes significantly to employment creation, business growth, revenue generation and investment. It is an engine for economic growth, contributing positively to Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Whilst many businesses in the country can be referred to as “informal businesses or traders”, the concept of entrepreneurship dominates the basis upon which such businesses are formed and anticipate to grow to become conglomerates. Indeed most of them are informal traders but a handful can be identified who can grow to become successful entrepreneurs like Strive Masiyiwa.

To create an appreciation of the innovations in Africa (particularly in Zimbabwe), that seek to address the various challenges on the continent and that also have the potential to provide solutions towards Africa’s transformation, Chronicle interviewed one entrepreneur who is making it in business despite the odds.

Mr Tinomuvongaishe Dube, 30, from Bulawayo is an adventurer, armed with well-defined, business plans and is determined to carve out his own unique career path.

He is proceeding with unbridled enthusiasm to change the world around him, make a difference with his ideas, and seek solutions that have never been sought, fight social norms, run successful ventures and generate employment for many.

Inspired by the rise in entrepreneurial opportunities, Mr Dube, started by venturing into the manufacturing sector.

“I have a manufacturing company called ‘Gilles Investments’. The company was fully registered in 2013 and I started trading that same year. We make household and industrial detergents, laboratory reagents, colour testing chemicals for gold testing, disinfectants, fumigants, washing soaps and beauty soaps,” said Mr Dube.

Besides being in the manufacturing sector he is also involved in selling hardware and in horticulture produce.

Mr Dube said several people have been employed through his business ventures. He is one of the youths in Zimbabwe who is contributing to employment creation, since the economy is failing to absorb many job seekers into formal employment.

Taking into consideration the hundreds of job seekers coming out of Zimbabwe’s schools, colleges or universities each year with a little chance of finding work in the formal sector, entrepreneurs like Mr Dube become key to remedy the situation.

The role and importance of entrepreneurship development is quite significant. Many academics and governments have suggested that entrepreneurship can be a panacea to economic transformation, empowerment and poverty alleviation, especially in developing countries like Zimbabwe.

As for Mr Dube, entrepreneurship has enabled him to be financially independent among other several factors.

“I have benefitted a lot from my businesses. I now have financial freedom and I am an inspiration to other youths. I have done social responsibility programs and I have matured mentally to trade professionally and have got great links with successful business people. Also I have managed to perfect and launch my trading brand and have acquired assets like a house and cars,” said Mr Dube.

Despite his successes, Mr Dube also noted some challenges associated with being an entrepreneur.

“The major challenge I face is flow of foreign currency in my company since I order raw materials outside the country,” he said.

Researchers also indicate several other challenges associated with starting a business in a developing country and one of them is lack of financial support.

A study carried out in Nigeria noted similar challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe.

Researcher, Mr David Mambula found that 72 percent of entrepreneurs in Nigeria considered lack of financial support as number one constraint in developing their business.

“The procedures for securing business loans from banks are cumbersome and the collateral demanded for such loans is excessive,” noted Mr Mambula in his research.

Mr Mambula indicated that, also, basic physical infrastructure required for economic development such as good roads, ample power supply, and good rail and river transportation facilities, are in very poor shape.

“As a result, deplorable roads, deteriorating rail lines, inadequate power supply and unusable waterways make entrepreneurial operations difficult,” he said.

Although entrepreneurial activity in developing nations especially in Zimbabwe keep struggling to reap the economic benefits similar to those in developed nations, the number of enterprises and entrepreneurs continues to grow.

Due to the challenges entrepreneurs face, it goes without saying that entrepreneurial skills and empowerment should be promoted at all costs.

Free as Zimbabweans are, they should be supported to become as wealthy as their talent, creativity, and hard work can take them, so long as they do not cheat, steal or use force or fraud against customers.

Zimbabwean entrepreneurs have the potential to grow and expand their businesses and in the process employ others, not just by hiring people but through the jobs that are created indirectly by those who supply other requirements.

Entrepreneurs can change the way people live and work in tremendous ways through creation of jobs and wealth for everyone who is willing to work, thus giving others a leg to stand on in achieving their career and business objectives.

The prevailing economic reality makes it very clear that supporting entrepreneurship is critical for the growth of the economy and betterment of the Zimbabwean citizens. However, many struggle to withstand the challenges and risks associated with entrepreneurial programmes because of lack of support. Even where they have brilliant products and better services, without enough resources and support it becomes difficult to make it in the broad business operations.

What needs to be done is for the Government to intensify the efforts in promoting the entrepreneurial sector. The relevant ministry should consider investing more in entrepreneurial work so that entrepreneurship becomes a productive and competitive sector. With time the entrepreneurial sector will grow and offer better returns for Zimbabwe.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Project, a comparative international study assessing entrepreneurship’s importance to economies worldwide concluded that the correlation between the level of entrepreneurial activity and economic growth is greater than 70% and all nations with high levels of entrepreneurial activity have above average rates of economic growth.

As the country sorts out its priorities for the coming years, fostering entrepreneurship must be a cornerstone of economic policy so as to ensure that global change remains an ally and never becomes the enemy. – @HazelMarimbiza