Entrepreneurial opportunities for people with disabilities

Uzile Mkwananzi, Sunday News Reporter

The Federation of Organizations of Disabled People in Zimbabwe (FODPZ) has launched a project called “enhancing employment and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe,” aimed at creating cooperate and entrepreneurial opportunities for people with disabilities.

This project is currently running in Harare and Bulawayo and is yet to spread to the rest of the country with time. Harare is hosting the cooperate side of the project while Bulawayo having the entrepreneurial side.

Speaking to Sunday news, the Project Officer Miss Tanatswa Tamia James said they are working closely with the Government running under the mantra “leaving no one and no place behind,” and working towards creating equal opportunities for people with disabilities and abled bodied in both cooperate and entrepreneurial worlds.

“The projects name is enhancing employment and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe. We are working with the ministry of public service, labor and social welfare under the department of disability affairs. The project seeks to economically empower persons with disabilities, supporting their inclusion in formal waged employment as well as entrepreneurship for those who want to start or grow their businesses in Zimbabwe. The project’s goal is to have equal access to formal employment including self-employment or entrepreneurship and inclusion in the workplace for people with disabilities.”

“As FODPZ we are an implementing partner in this project while Sightsavers, an international non-governmental organization that works with partners in developing countries to treat and prevent avoidable blindness, and promote equality for people with visual impairments and other disabilities are the technical funding partner. We are also working with the National Association of Societies of the Care of the handicapped and deaf women (NASCOH), Empretec Zimbabwe as some of our implementing partners,” she said.

Miss James said that the economic empowerment project’s strategies include facilitating skills training for participants, have job placements, internships, entrepreneurial mentorship and supporting micro businesses. Through this, they want to establish what is called a national business and disability network and also seek to create an enabling environment of employment for persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe. The project will build the capacity of employers and employee associations to have more inclusive workplaces and practices that are in line with the UNCRPD.

Miss James said that are also working with local businesses and employers to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities and also educate them on creating an inclusive and comfortable working areas for all employees despite being differently abled.

“We are engaging with employer networks and federations including the International Labor Organizations to support the establishment of a national business and disability network and together with other implementing partners we are also supporting employers to conduct disability awareness trainings for their employees and as well as to conduct accessibility audits. We are engaged with other implementing partners on accessible recruitment as well accessible platforms for persons with disabilities,” she said.

Miss James said that the involvement of partners like Empretec and Accenture UK is so that participants go through tailor made specific courses that will help them with the project and then get certificates that will help them draft and produce bankable business plans

The project has seen to it that participant’s family members are also involved in the process as they are the number one support system, hence they should also be educated along with the participants so that they are able to help them where they need help and also keep them motivated throughout the process.