The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve and Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporters
THE Government has reaffirmed its commitment to equipping the youth with knowledge, skills and values that guarantee economic growth and prosperity.
Speaking at the Youth Network Connect dinner awards held in Bulawayo yesterday evening, Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raj Modi said youths were key in contributing to the development of the economy, hence the need to make sure they were up to date with trends in business.
“Whatever your motivation, whatever your driving force, that is legitimate and valid, but it is important to find a motivation that drives you everyday, a motivation that makes you chase after and look up to something.
‘‘This is the vision and it is definitely what Youth Network Connect sees when we look at the youth we engage in diverse situations, backgrounds and to those from most vulnerable communities and situations across the country,” he said.
The Youth Network Connect embarked on an accelerator programme called, Re-engineering the future generation through the art of Entrepreneurship and business networking. Deputy Minister Modi said the Youth Entrepreneurship Business Expo and Dinner was devoted to the development of small and medium sized enterprises, providing an invaluable platform for small businesses to market their businesses and interact with prominent business leaders.
“I am meant to understand that the programme is already in place in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe as a whole and we hope that we can see many of these initiatives opening up in more places within the country.”
Youth Network Connect managing director Mr Philimon Nyirenda said as an organisation they see youth in business as change makers, community role models and most importantly enterprises who have the potential to positively impact the economy.
Speaking at the same event businessman and politician, Cde Philip Chiyangwa encouraged the youth to share ideas so that they could uplift their ventures.
