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Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter

A BULAWAYO company has embarked on a business empowerment and skills development programme targeting unemployed youths. Through innovation and entrepreneurship development training, the company is offering skills training and business starter packs to beneficiaries, as part of efforts to enhance income generation and promoting inclusive economic growth.

A brain child of Bit Bags Zimbabwe company, Duel Core Technologies, has partnered with the Modi Foundation to rope in youths under its Youth Innovation Hub, which is the implementing arm of the skills trainings.

In an interview, Duel Core Technologies chief executive officer and managing director of Bit Bags, Mr Louis Herbst, said their objective was to keep young people busy, reduce teenage pregnancies and excessive substance abuse through business involvement. 

He said they were using some of the profits from their company (Bit Bags) to finance the innovation hub activities, which has seen them buying sewing machines for dressmaking.

“We have bought 12 machines for the girls to train in cutting and designing,” said Mr Herbst.

“We also thought of doing something on information communication technology (ICT) for the boys. When we were still planning the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) brought in a Hackathon and we submitted our own proposal and we were successful. We got sponsorship from Potraz and we partnered with the Modi Foundation.”

Post and Telecommunications Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz)

He said the patron of the Modi Foundation is a prominent local businessman and Deputy Minister of Industry and commerce, Raj Modi.The hub is already working with Gifford High school and some graduates from the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) to offer clouding, coding, web design and social media apps development lessons.

Mr Herbst said for one to get a job, employers now need someone with basic computer knowledge and yet many less privileged youths have no access to such skills. He said they will be working closely with social workers to identify relevant youths and were in the process of engaging the Bulawayo City Council so that they can get assistance on accommodation and buildings to set up a rehabilitation centre.

BCC

“We are also looking for sponsorship and partnership. For sponsorship we need organisations or individuals who will be helping in the upkeep of the youths,” said Mr Herbst.

He also said the hub will be training youths on entrepreneurship, how to register companies and financial literacy so that they can be able to formalise and run their businesses. Duel Core ambassador, Mr Kimble Rogers, said the initiative was meant to complement the Government’s effort to empower youths and keep them away from drug abuse and all matters associated with it.

“With innovation hubs like this, it provides a solution that the Government is looking for because it is looking for people to participate and we decided to give back to the community we save,” said Mr Rogers.

“It’s important for us to support initiatives like this and to participate in national programmes that bring betterment because Vision 2030 is also an idea and also an ideal, which we want to be part of.”

The Youth Innovation Hub is also sponsoring children’s homes and people with disability with fees, clothing and food around Bulawayo and Matabeleland region at large. – @SikhulekelaniM1.