Support of AfDB to ILO work responds to NDS1
Four years of financial support to women and youth livelihoods and empowering (YWEP) projects in Beitbridge, Mutoko, Lupane and Guruve districts have convinced the AfDB that CO-Harare is a credible partner to be trusted with funding for a second phase. Mutoko will be part of this phase which will expand to new communities in Mutasa, Masvingo and Umuguza.
23 August 2022
(ILO News, Harare) The Youth and Women Project (YWEP) of 2017 to 2022 has morphed into a second phase, now titled the “Sustainable Enterprise Development for Women and Youth (SED4WAY).” The Project will contribute towards: increasing productive capacity of youth farmers in the horticulture value chain at Tabudirira Vocational Training Centre in Mutoko District, where it will facilitate technical training and the setting up of greenhouses that will be linked to the already established Anchor Enterprise; setting-up of a Fruit and Vegetable Processing Anchor Enterprise at Hauna in Mutasa District, where a site has been availed by the District Council; establishing two safe market places for women and youth in Bulawayo and Masvingo; and the setting up of a milk collection centre in Umuguza.
The project will also support the Government of Zimbabwe to develop gender mainstreaming guidelines for 11 ministries, review and align the Broad-Based Women Economic Empowerment Framework to the National Development Strategy 1(NDS1), develop the Gemstones Beneficiation and Value Addition strategy, develop the Minerals Development strategy and also build the capacity of cross border traders on COMESA and SADC Simplified Trade Regimes (STRs).
This second phase will run from 2022 to 2026.
For additionality, under the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), the Bank has availed US$1million towards “Business Growth for Youth Employment” (BG4YE). This component is intended to reach out to an increased number young and growth oriented male and female entrepreneurs and their workers – in the same locations as the SED4WAY. It also aims to strengthen their capacities to pursue profitable economic opportunities. This will have particular focus on value chains linked to the anchor enterprise in the vicinity, and light manufacturing of goods and agro-processing value addition, to create employment opportunities.
Further, capacities of Business Development Services (BDS) providers will be enhanced to provide demand driven entrepreneurship and business management training and on-the-job workplace support. It is envisaged that this building of capacities may also empower them adequately to have the confidence to approach financial institutions for support. This is happening in the context of realising that youth-run SMEs currently have very limited access to capital and financial services due to a variety of reasons.
In addition, a cohort of mentors and coaches will be trained to support the young entrepreneurs as their ventures grow. This support will also extend to mentoring them in developing new ideas for potential new businesses or the growth of existing ones; including incubation, and scaling-up where existing and new assets are identified.
The proposed BG4YE therefore complements the SED4WAY with additional and complementary services to young entrepreneurs.
The BG4YE is aligned with the Bank’s Strategy for 2013-2022 (Ten Year Strategy); the Private Sector Development Policy and Strategy (2013-2017, extended until 2020) and the High 5-5 Priority. These strategies aim to broaden economic opportunities for youth and develop skills for job creation, as well as improve the quality of life for people of Africa.
The proposal equally aligns to one of the key objectives of the Zimbabwe National Development Strategy 1: 2021-2025 (NDS1), which is promoting new enterprise development, employment and job creation for Zimbabwe.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED) will be the Executing Agency, with high level coordination by the Ministry’s Project Management Unit (PMU). Guided by the Fiduciary Principles Agreement (FPA), 2017, between the AfDB and the ILO, the ILO shall be the technical implementing partner and will receive the full budget and will be responsible for the project roll-out and management of finances.
Phase 1 of the project facilitated the setting up of: a Mopane Worm Processing Anchor Enterprise in Beitbridge; a packaging facility, cold store-room and tomato paste-processing factory in Mutoko; four apiaries – each with 200 beehives in Lupane increasing honey production to an additional 22t per annum after training of 300 youth beekeepers with relevant techniques ; and in Guruve, a mercury free commercial gold milling centre which is almost completed.
The project will also support the Government of Zimbabwe to develop gender mainstreaming guidelines for 11 ministries, review and align the Broad-Based Women Economic Empowerment Framework to the National Development Strategy 1(NDS1), develop the Gemstones Beneficiation and Value Addition strategy, develop the Minerals Development strategy and also build the capacity of cross border traders on COMESA and SADC Simplified Trade Regimes (STRs).
This second phase will run from 2022 to 2026.
For additionality, under the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), the Bank has availed US$1million towards “Business Growth for Youth Employment” (BG4YE). This component is intended to reach out to an increased number young and growth oriented male and female entrepreneurs and their workers – in the same locations as the SED4WAY. It also aims to strengthen their capacities to pursue profitable economic opportunities. This will have particular focus on value chains linked to the anchor enterprise in the vicinity, and light manufacturing of goods and agro-processing value addition, to create employment opportunities.
Further, capacities of Business Development Services (BDS) providers will be enhanced to provide demand driven entrepreneurship and business management training and on-the-job workplace support. It is envisaged that this building of capacities may also empower them adequately to have the confidence to approach financial institutions for support. This is happening in the context of realising that youth-run SMEs currently have very limited access to capital and financial services due to a variety of reasons.
In addition, a cohort of mentors and coaches will be trained to support the young entrepreneurs as their ventures grow. This support will also extend to mentoring them in developing new ideas for potential new businesses or the growth of existing ones; including incubation, and scaling-up where existing and new assets are identified.
The proposed BG4YE therefore complements the SED4WAY with additional and complementary services to young entrepreneurs.
The BG4YE is aligned with the Bank’s Strategy for 2013-2022 (Ten Year Strategy); the Private Sector Development Policy and Strategy (2013-2017, extended until 2020) and the High 5-5 Priority. These strategies aim to broaden economic opportunities for youth and develop skills for job creation, as well as improve the quality of life for people of Africa.
The proposal equally aligns to one of the key objectives of the Zimbabwe National Development Strategy 1: 2021-2025 (NDS1), which is promoting new enterprise development, employment and job creation for Zimbabwe.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED) will be the Executing Agency, with high level coordination by the Ministry’s Project Management Unit (PMU). Guided by the Fiduciary Principles Agreement (FPA), 2017, between the AfDB and the ILO, the ILO shall be the technical implementing partner and will receive the full budget and will be responsible for the project roll-out and management of finances.
Phase 1 of the project facilitated the setting up of: a Mopane Worm Processing Anchor Enterprise in Beitbridge; a packaging facility, cold store-room and tomato paste-processing factory in Mutoko; four apiaries – each with 200 beehives in Lupane increasing honey production to an additional 22t per annum after training of 300 youth beekeepers with relevant techniques ; and in Guruve, a mercury free commercial gold milling centre which is almost completed.