Another award for Zimtrade

Business Writer

Zimbabwe’s trade promotion and development body Zimtrade won an international award at the World Trade Promotion Organization (WTPO) Awards 2022 held in Accra, Ghana last week as part of the WTPO Conference 2022.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner were hosted by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and the International Trade Centre (ITC) with more than 200 senior trade and investment representatives participating.

Zimtrade’s youth-oriented Eagles Nest programme emerged as the winner for the category “Best initiative to ensure that trade is inclusive and sustainable”.

The Eagles’ Nest programme is like a youth incubator designed to move youth-led companies into the formal sector and become exporters. The incubator combined small business development with a reality-contest television show.

Eagles Nest was described by the Judges as an “excellent project, clear and well presented with the three key words—youth, export growth and value-added products”.

‘The objectives of 100 trained SMEs for 17 incubated allows a very impressive result of new exporters coming out of the programme,’ said the Judges.

‘The export awareness process using social media and television is very clever, as is the tailor-made incubation of the selected projects.’

Through the Eagles Nest programme, three companies won the contest package and 100 companies trained in the incubator.

At the close of the programme, 14 companies were export ready and six companies were exporting. Ten contestants received a package of focused support.

Companies opened distributor shops in Zambia. One company signed a major contract with a buyer from South Africa. Other exporters found markets in Nigeria.

Financial groups offered to develop resources for incubator companies.

One of the participants, Lienne Shonhiwa of Manetain Organics said the experience she got by participating was unforgettable.

“One of the key points was making my product stand out, especially in international markets. Since entering the competition, my product has found its way to markets in southern Africa,’ she said.

Speaking after receiving the award on behalf of Zimtrade, chief executive officer Allan Majuru said “winning an international award is a first for ZimTrade and for the country.”