Government, ILO launch SIYB programme to empower 200 youth, women in Bulawayo

GOVERNMENT, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has rolled out the “Start and Improve Your Business” (SIYB) training programme targeting 200 youth and women in Bulawayo.

This initiative is designed to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with essential skills to stimulate economic growth and job creation.

Speaking at the programme launch last Thursday, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube commended the ILO’s efforts, which align with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1). The informal sector, contributing about 61 percent of the country’s GDP, is a critical focus of the Government’s development agenda.

“I am glad that Bulawayo Metropolitan Province has welcomed the efforts that ILO continues to implement with excellence to empower the youths and women. Indeed, their initiatives do not only complement our Government’s efforts, but they standardise international models, which dovetails with our mantra as the Second Republic,” said Minister Ncube.

“I believe that these trainings are an eye opener to the entrepreneurs, and also enlightening enough to stir you into broadening your scope in the business world.”
The minister envisaged Bulawayo being the model of the whole country attracting more foreign direct investments and at the same time growing the GDP.

She also challenged stakeholders to commit themselves to supporting informal economies’ aspirations to accessing funding, markets, training, safe working spaces, and formalisation.

“The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, ILO, and relevant stakeholders collaborated to promote the capacitation of MSMEs. This intervention demonstrated the utility of deploying integrated strategies to facilitate the transition from the informal to formal,” she said.

Minister Ncube said the Government has also come up with several initiatives towards promoting the informal sector, some of which include the reviewed MSME Policy (2020-2024), which is premised on 12 Strategic pillars to support the development and growth of MSMEs.

She said the ministry is also in the process of validating the Broad-Based Economic Empowerment Framework, which will assist in the economic enhancement of women in key sectors such as mining, tourism, and agriculture.

Minister Ncube said the Government is in the consultation process to find a strategy of formalisation for the informal sector through the NDS 1 which involves support of informal workers, working towards developing an increase in incomes, and providing decent working space to all those working in the informal economy.

In an interview, Mr Fortune Sithole from ILO said the SIYB is a critical tool for their organisation to promote the growth of business by young people.
He said the training packages address a lot of gaps in youth-owned businesses.

“The package that we are rolling out to 200 people in Bulawayo is called Start Your Business. This enhances the businesses in areas like marketing as most of their marketing strategies are not systematic,” said Mr Sithole.

The programme also offers training on financial literacy, costing, record keeping, and other critical aspects.

ILO is working with ZimTrade, the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, and other financial organisations to improve the productivity and quality of products to suit export markets.

Bulawayo Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises co-ordinator, Mr Nketa Mangoye Dlamini commended the various initiatives led by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, and Small and Medium Enterprises Development, in collaboration with development partners, to capacitate MSMEs through the provision of business management and technical skills.

He said it will go a long way in ensuring that MSMEs are adequately equipped to produce quality products and services.

“Entrepreneurs should take advantage of the diverse MSME support programmes provided by the Government and create knowledge-based enterprises, as information and knowledge are increasingly becoming key assets for wealth creation,” said Mr Dlamini. —chronicle