Machakaire Pledges US$1 Million Support For Youth Entrepreneurs At Agricultural Show

By Desire Tshuma

Harare – Youth Empowerment and Development and Vocational Training Minister Hon Tino Machakaire says the Government’s US$1 million youth empowerment fund will prioritise young people with viable projects capable of improving livelihoods, creating jobs and empowering others.

Machakaire said this when he toured the Ministry’s stands ahead of the official opening of the 116th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show by President Emmerson Mnangagwa today.

The minister used the tour to engage with young entrepreneurs and innovators exhibiting their products and initiatives, praising them for demonstrating the potential of Zimbabwe’s youth to contribute to national economic development. He said the youth exhibition reflected the Government’s vision of ensuring that no one was left behind, while applauding young Zimbabweans for coming up with innovative ideas and initiatives.

“This time around, I’m so excited, and I also want to appreciate the young people of Zimbabwe for coming up with various ideas and initiatives, so that we show the nation what we are capable of doing, what our young people are capable of doing,” said Machakaire.

He said the US$1 million youth empowerment fund would not be distributed randomly, but would be channelled towards young people with the potential to grow their businesses, create employment and empower others. “We need to identify those that are capable of improving their livelihoods, those that are capable of creating jobs, but also those that can also be able to empower others,” he said.

Machakaire said beneficiaries would be identified through an assessment process, with ministry teams determining which initiatives had the potential to grow with additional financial support.

The minister also linked youth empowerment to the Government’s efforts to combat drug and substance abuse, saying meaningful skills development and entrepreneurship could help keep young people productively occupied. He said Government was employing a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to fighting drug abuse through awareness campaigns, education, skills development and youth empowerment programmes.

Machakaire said the country’s youth service programme was also equipping young people with knowledge and patriotic values before they proceeded to acquire practical skills through vocational training centres. He said youths who excelled in their acquired trades could subsequently be identified for further capacitation and financial support.

“After they have skills, that’s when we can also be able to identify those that are excelling more with the skills that we have gotten from our PTCs, and we can also be able to capacitate and keep on funding them with those funds that we are getting, so that they can also be occupied,” Machakaire said.

The minister said the Government’s ultimate objective was to transform young people from job seekers into job creators while providing them with opportunities to contribute meaningfully to Zimbabwe’s economic growth.

His remarks come as the 116th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show brings together businesses, innovators, farmers, Government departments and various institutions, with youth participation providing a platform to showcase the growing role of young entrepreneurs in the country’s economy.