THE Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC), in partnership with the government, has facilitated the formalisation of over 9 000 youth enterprises since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to tackle youth unemployment, NewsDay Business heard this week.
According to recent statistics from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, more than 47% of Zimbabwean youths are unemployed, a figure that continues to raise concern among policymakers and development partners.
ZYC is a quasi-government institution under the Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training ministry mandated to promote youth empowerment.
In an interview with NewsDay Business, acting chief executive officer Brian Nyagwande said the council was actively assisting young people in formalising their businesses and providing them with support systems to enhance sustainability.
“Since COVID-19, we have been able to assist in the formalisation of over 9 000 youth enterprises,” Nyagwande said.
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“The Youth Council continues to provide support systems for youth-led enterprises to ensure their growth and longevity. We facilitate engagements between young entrepreneurs and key stakeholders vital to their success.”
The council, together with the ministry, developed the National Youth Empowerment Strategy, a comprehensive policy document aimed at addressing unemployment and promoting entrepreneurship among young people.
“We decided to craft a document that responds directly to the crisis of youth unemployment. Working with development partners and key stakeholders, we developed the National Youth Empowerment Strategy, with employment and entrepreneurship as one of its key pillars,” Nyagwande said.
“We are working flat out with the parent Ministry to ensure the strategy is launched this year. It will serve as the blueprint for youth empowerment going forward.”
The strategy is expected to provide long-term guidance in tackling structural challenges faced by youth entrepreneurs.
“As the government’s advisor on youth issues, we conduct research to understand the challenges facing youth enterprises. While registration is a crucial first step, access to funding and markets remains a significant hurdle,” Nyagwande said.
The council also champions financial inclusion and advocates for adequate budgetary support.
“When we approach the Treasury for resources, it is largely to capacitate youth associations, not just with financial inclusion, but also on climate adaptation and mental health awareness,” the ZYC chief executive officer said.
Looking ahead, ZYC is pushing for infrastructure that supports youth businesses, particularly in urban areas.
“For 2025, we have requested the Treasury to fund the construction of youth factory shells in Chinhoyi,” Nyagwande said.
“This will provide formal working spaces for young entrepreneurs and prevent them from engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with law enforcement due to operating informally.”
The ZYC has been working with organisations such as the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), ZimTrade and Empower Bank to equip youth with essential knowledge and tools, including tax compliance, financial literacy and market access.
“We have facilitated engagements with Zimra through initiatives like Tax Wednesdays, ZimTrade on identifying viable markets for youth products, and Empower Bank on financial literacy,” Nyagwande said.
“For instance, ZimTrade has guided youth toward producing export-ready crops like rock melons, which fetch better prices on the international market.”
