ILO empowers youths, women
IN its quest to empower women and youths in Zimbabwe, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is implementing numerous capacity-building initiatives while also providing equipment and start-up assistance to various groups to enhance production.
The ILO is running the Sustainable Enterprise Development programme, targeting women and youths in different districts across the country, including Umguza in Matabeleland North. Here, young farmers involved in dairy farming are being trained and equipped to improve production and promote the dairy value chain in the district.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) training held recently in Bulawayo, Mr Fortune Sithole from the ILO stated that they are targeting different value chains, with the key focus being on improving production and linking them with various markets.
One of the initiatives under the Sustainable Enterprise Development programme is the training of women and youths. The SIYB training aims to provide them with essential business management skills, enabling them to formalise and run their businesses effectively.
“We have a project called Sustainable Enterprise Development, which is being implemented in various locations where we are targeting value chains from those areas,” said Mr Sithole.
“In Umguza, we are targeting young people involved in dairy farming. The main objective is to improve their production capacity through training, and working with young people aged between 16 and 35 years.
International Labour Organisation
“Apart from enhancing their productive capacity in terms of business management, we are also going to establish a dairy processing plant in Umguza, which will allow the processing of various products from milk.”
Mr Sithole reiterated that Umguza has many small-scale dairy producers who face challenges in accessing markets. He said the programme will introduce a public-private partnership initiative, collaborating with large dairy companies.
The ILO is working with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, and other stakeholders in implementing these programmes.
Mr Sithole said this collaboration would help create a systematic approach and complementary programmes. “The programme is running until 2026, and in that process, we are adopting a step-by-step approach, which is systematic. The first step involved procuring 20 heifers to add to the existing ones. With increased capacity and productivity, more heifers could be added,” he said.
“The process also includes procuring machinery for milk processing, although I cannot disclose figures now as it is still in progress. “We are looking forward to investing in the skills of young people, new processing machines, and heifers.”
Mr Sithole added that the long-term goal is to create employment for young people, promote safety and health in the workplace, and improve workers’ rights.
Small and medium enterprises continue to play a critical role in economic growth, with women and youths owning many of these businesses.
This has led to partnerships between the Government, companies, and developmental organisations to empower and help them realise their potential with a focus on capacity building and market linkages.
Meanwhile, the ILO, in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, and other developmental organisations, is running a five-day SIYB training in Bulawayo, where about 180 women and youths are set to benefit. –chronicle
