A LOCAL non-governmental organisation, Hand in Hand Zimbabwe, recently launched a new project which is set to create about 150 new jobs in a bid to curb the high rate of unemployment and alleviate rural poverty.
Through the Enterprise Accelerator Project, Hand in Hand Zimbabwe seeks to promote and support the growth of a few potential rural enterprises into sustainable and profitable formal businesses that create employment opportunities and contribute to the improved wellbeing of the targeted communities.
This will be done through intensive business development trainings, technical skills training, access to credit, access to markets and professional business coaching.
Hand in Hand Zimbabwe chief executive officer Felix Tete said the project would go a long way in improving rural economies and curbing poverty as the support will help stimulate local economies of rural livelihoods.
“The project is all inclusive but targeting more women and youth in equipping rural and peri-urban entrepreneurs with reasonably deep financial literacy,” Tete said.
“The project will afford the beneficiaries access to affordable financial support and other financial products that will, in turn, help them to increase their production, income levels and employment opportunities.
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“With targeted groups being resource-limited individuals/groups who have enterprises that have shown traits of booming into profitable businesses, we feel this intervention will go a long way in assisting entrepreneurs to realize their dreams,” he said.
The Hand in Hand Zimbabwe accelerator lead Promise Mashanda said the project will be implemented in two phases with the first pilot phase targeting three districts namely Chirumanzu, Gwanda and Shurugwi over a period of 24 months, before being rolled out to other districts where HiHZ is operating.
“The project will focus on identifying 20 outstanding enterprises with productive value chains that were previously supported by Hand in Hand Zimbabwe in its interventions,” Mashanda said.
“These enterprises will be supported through business development mentoring and coaching sessions/trainings, technical skills training, facilitation of access to affordable finance and sustainable national and international markets where possible.
“All this will be done to promote business expansion, employment creation and poverty alleviation.”
With support from the project, targeted enterprises are set to create a cumulative of 150-200 profitable new jobs which will translate into increased household
income.
“The enterprises will comprise individual and/ or group enterprises which have the potential to grow with the support that the project will deliver.”
Hand in Hand Zimbabwe is a non-profit organisation that builds socio-economically resilient communities as coping mechanisms against stresses such as food insecurity, poverty, health, climate change and unemployment.
All this threatens individual and household wellbeing. The organisation has a six-modular business development training programme that is delivered over six months and cross-cutting manuals in gender, environment and motivation on which target group capacitation is premised on.
The organisation is registered as a private voluntary organisation according to the laws of the country and has been operational since July 2015.
It presently operates in Bulilima and Gwanda in Matabeleland South province, Lupane and Nkayi in Matabeleland North, Chirumanzu and Shurugwi in the Midlands and Chikomba district in Mashonaland East.