WITH a number of young people living in abject poverty due to economic hardships, a young entrepreneur from Marondera Dunmore Mutyambizi formed a group called Mashonaland East Think Tank, which is helping youths access funds from the government, banks and other sponsors for youth projects. Moreover, the group which comprises 10 members, is helping youths through creating projects for them.
A number of youths got funds from the government and other sponsors sourced through the think tank.
Our Correspondent Jairos Saunyama (JS) had an opportunity to interview one of the founders and secretary for administration of the group Dunmore Mutyambizi (DM). Below are the excerpts.
JS: What is Think Tank all about? DM: The Mashonaland East Youth Think Tank is a provincial management and consultancy board for young people that aims to bridge the information gap with regards to benefits that can come from the government’s empowerment and indigenisation programmes as well as any other initiatives meant to support the youth.
JS: What are the main objectives of the group? DM: The main objectives include, but are not limited to, advocacy for all youths in the province to benefit from government programmes like the community share ownership Trusts, achieving sustainable development for Zimbabwean youths, placing them in beneficial value chains in the market in line with policy provisions, helping in accessing youth funds from supportive banking institutions, organising workshops, action programmes, project viability and other skills development programmes. Many youths are struggling and we help them with links to sponsors for them to start their own projects.
JS: Who founded the idea and on what basis? DM: You will appreciate that the majority of our young people in rural areas have braved poverty due to many reasons and the rural-urban migration has further grouped them with urbanites who have been reeling in near abject poverty because of the hitherto classical economic sabotage.
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Aspirations of these young people like affording a college education, getting a job, pursuing sport, getting into business, even just dignifying marriage by paying lobola mention less sustaining the family thereafter has been momentous feats, access to support services like bank finance being a pipe dream for most.
This has been so due to the lack of access or control over our natural resources, means of production and the economy as a whole. The Think Tank is a progeny of young people who are in business and academics from the province being led by one called Phillip Sewera who is the Chairman of the Zimbabwe Youth Council Board of Mashonaland East.
The think tank consists of a 10 member provincial executive.
JS: Who chose the members and whatcriteria did you use? DM: People from various backgrounds, with the necessary skills and experience to make helpful decisions on improving the lives of young people.
The executive works with a gallery of representatives from registered youth associations, child parliamentarians, junior councillors, student representative councils, youth leaders in churches and any young person aged between 16-35 years irrespective of their political affiliation.
This Gallery is the pool at which ideas and concepts from youths can be collected and debated as a way of increasing the target groups’ participation in concept formation and easy implementation since it will be coming from the people.
JS: I learnt that you acquired a farm for the youth in the province, how did you get it and what are you planning with it? DM: One way or the other we are the beneficiaries of the land reform, we have a farm located not more than 25km from the provincial capital, Marondera. It is along Murehwa Road and is in the export processing zone. We are securing finance for the project and by the end of this year we will not only be one of the biggest employers in the province, but will be one of Zimbabwe’s notable exporters of horticultural produce. The farm belongs to the youths in the province.
JS: When was the group launched and who attended? DM: The Think Tank was launched in March 28 this year.
JS: What are the group’s aspirations for the future? DM: Importantly we want to work with all youths regardless of race, religion or political persuasion so that we exchange progressive views on Zimbabwe’s future and action programmes that will build and sustain the nation at the same time empowering us. We want to strengthen the government’s resolve of a people-centred development strategy anchored on further integrating the majority of our people into the mainstream economy and enabling the majority of the population to be key players in the economy thus creating a fair national economy.
It is displeasing to note young Zimbabweans running nothing more than peripheral salon chairs, flea market tables, rented shops and backyard kitchens. Zimbabwe is our nation and we need no other space to define ourselves and our abilities than this God-given space.