The Zimbabwe enterPRIZE Job Creation Challenge is launched!!!

The gathering comprised representations from business; civil society; research, microfinance and youth institutions; the development community; government ministries and the UN. Standing in for the guest-of-honour, Hon. Sitembiso Nyoni (Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development), was the Deputy Minister of Sports, Art and Culture, Hon. Tabeth Kanengoni.

The event was punctuated with music and dance from a group of youthful musicians, Gwenga, who played some contemporary afro-jazz music.

The competition is aimed at job creation through the development of small and medium enterprises in Zimbabwe. It specifically targets young men and women, who have already received vocational and technical skills training through the ‘Skills for Youth Employment and Rural Development Programme.’ It has been noted that during the implementation of this programme that young people face challenges in accessing finance and Business Development Services to start and grow their businesses. To address this issue, the ILO launched the enterPRIZE job creation challenge.

The enterPRIZE job creation challenge will see contestants compete to win one of 15 prizes totaling Forty ($40 000) Thousand Dollars. The competition will be offering a combination of financial support and technical assistance, along with business management coaching and mentorship, which will be valuable for entrepreneurs experiencing difficulties in accessing finance.

In her welcome address, the Director, Ms Hopolang Phororo highlighted the work that ILO is doing in Zimbabwe in general and particularly dwelt on the efforts to stem youth unemployment in the country. The Chief Technical Advisor of the ‘Skills for Youth Employment and Rural Development Programme,’ Mr Khalliq Manzoor briefed the gathering on the over 10,000 beneficiaries, who had benefitted from the programme in the 33 districts of the country’s ten provinces where it is being implemented. He further indicated that in the competition, 15 prizes will be won in the Agriculture, Manufacturing and the Service Sectors. In addition to these sectors, a special prize each will also be awarded in the following six categories:

• Best Start Up Business
• Best Established business
• Best Women Entrepreneur
• Most Innovative Business
• Best Green Business
• Best Master Craft’s person Business

Mr Khaliq urged other UN agencies, development partners and the private sector to partner with the ILO in implementing this program component and sustain it beyond 2015.






The Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development represented by Hon. Kanengoni, launching the competition bemoaned the unemployment environment in Zimbabwe characterized by high youth unemployment. She commended the ILO for coming up with initiatives that promote employment creation and growth.