By Own Correspondent

 THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has injected US$1 million towards the Business Growth for Youth Employment (BG4YE) project which is being implemented by the local International Labour Organisation (ILO) office.

The gesture comes at a time when Zimbabwe is currently saddled with high youth unemployment with latest data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Authority second quarter Labour Force Survey revealing that 2,3 million youngsters are neither in employment, education or training.  

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 which all 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 Project will contribute towards: increasing the 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.

“It will also contribute towards the 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 marketplaces for women and youth in Bulawayo and Masvingo; and the setting up of a milk collection centre in Umuguza,” ILO Harare Office said.

The labour organ believes that this component is intended to reach out to an increased number of young and growth oriented male and female entrepreneurs and their workers – in the same locations as the SED4WAY.

It is also expected to strengthen their capacities to pursue profitable economic opportunities with a 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.



“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,” added ILO.