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Thokozile Mbedzi, Business Reporter

GREAT Zimbabwe University (GZU) students have established tourism and hospitality business at the institution to cater for tourists while generating income and contributing to the growth of the economy. 

The project has been initiated by the Hospitality and Tourism Department as part of measures to inculcate business development among learners through a practical project.

One of the pioneers of the project, Miss Sheron Tserenga, said they were eager to complement Government’s efforts to widen business opportunity and ensure attainment of an upper middle-income economy by 2030. “We have so far managed to raise US$4 000 from the project. Our aim is to contribute and assist our university so that it can be able to accommodate visitors, and students,” she                                               said. 

“We also want to provide meals for on campus students and boost our re-use project so that we produce more vases, which will be readily available to the local market and abroad,” said Miss Tserenga. “Our lecturers have helped come up with a planned duty roster such that all of us perform our duties properly. 

  “Our project is growing bigger because most of the students come in large numbers and support our business by buying meals.” 

 She said students were being assisted by lecturers to perfect the business model. Miss Tserenga said they were using old linen to produce vases, which they use for decorating their rooms while some is being sold to the outside market.   

“This is done in order to keep and safeguard some materials for re-use while we create employment for students when they complete their studies,” she said. 

Lecturer in the Hospitality and Tourism Department, Munenyasha Chitambara, said the hospitality business initiative was established to equip students with enterprise development knowledge and survival skills. 

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe

“Our guest house was opened in 2017 when the School of Hospitality was established. It’s a classy five roomed guest house located at former Mandava Hotel and the vase project was done by a former student as an innovation project in November 2021.

“By so doing our students get the opportunity to create their own destiny through research innovation whereby they can implement                     the knowledge we impact to them by opening up their own business after completing studies.” 

She said their model was inspired by the country drive to grow the tourism in line with the Government’s Vision 2030 of achieving an upper middle-income economy status.