Farai Mabeza
ZIMTRADE says it will from next year utilise various institutions of higher learning and vocational training centres as it expands the Youth Export incubation programme, Eagles Nest.
Eagles Nest was launched in 2020 to instill an export culture among youth-driven enterprises in the country.
It is premised on the understanding that meaningful trade and economic development require the involvement of underserved groups, particularly young people.
The initiative offers the selected businesses mentorship, training from industry experts, access to funding, and market linkages to facilitate global business expansion.
“Next season is going to be much bigger than previous seasons because we have learnt a lot in the past four years, and we are going to use the national infrastructure, the universities, and the vocational training centres to be part of this exercise.
“We want to make sure that where we are not physically present, we have institutions that are representing us and also nurturing and incubating these youth entrepreneurs to become sustainable and grow their businesses. The dimension is going to change; it’s going to grow, but without losing the touch that we have,” Majuru said as Season 4 of the programme drew to a close.
ZimTrade takes some of the participating businesses to a number of regional and international trade showcases that include the Fruit Logistica in Germany, the Agriculture and Commercial Show in Zambia, the DRC-Africa Business Forum in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Global Expo Botswana in Botswana, among others.
“Our participants are selected based on what we find in the market to be doing well. For instance, in Botswana, it’s our building and construction materials and processed foods. We know they will do well in that market,” ZimTrade said earlier this year as it launched Season 4.
By nurturing sustainable export enterprises among the youth, Eagles Nest aims to ensure future trade success for Zimbabwe while promoting inclusivity and economic participation among marginalised groups.
