Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
THE future of youths is being reshaped — not through lofty promises, but through practical skills that empower them to earn a living and create jobs for others.
At a time when formal employment remains scarce, Tonganyika Trust, founded by Tourism and Hospitality Deputy Minister and Hunyani Constituency legislator, Honourable Tongai Mnangagwa, has stepped in with a hands on solution that is steadily transforming lives.
Over the past few years, the Trust has trained thousands of young people in vocational disciplines ranging from welding, driving, and baking to carpentry and tailoring. These are not mere certificates — they are intensive, market driven programmes designed to meet real community needs.
For many beneficiaries, the training has been life changing.
Young men and women once trapped in unemployment are now running small businesses, repairing tools, baking for local markets, or offering transport services. Some have gone further, employing peers and injecting fresh energy into the local economy.
The Trust’s philosophy is rooted in self reliance and entrepreneurship.
Trainees are encouraged to think beyond simply acquiring a skill — they are guided on how to turn that skill into a sustainable livelihood. Business management, customer service, and financial literacy are woven into the programmes, ensuring graduates are equipped to navigate the realities of running their own ventures.
Last week, 1 600 youths from Headlands Constituency graduated and received certificates.
Tonganyika Trust national coordinator, Mr Saul Murangwa, said the initiative aligns with Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy by 2030.
“We run an ongoing programme to train young people in vital technical skills. The trust began this work in 2018, moving across districts to offer youths the opportunity to acquire practical expertise. In Headlands alone, we have trained 1 600 young people from the constituency’s eight wards. The aim is to uplift those who, for various reasons, were unable to enroll at universities or colleges. We cover every part of the country in fulfilment of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra of ‘leaving no one and no place behind’. We want to reach every youth at grassroots level and empower them. In our training we use simple, accessible language, including vernaculars, so that even those who were not fortunate enough to attend school are not excluded. For us to achieve an upper middle income economy by 2030, every citizen must be economically active. We are playing our part by equipping the youth with skills,” said Mr Murangwa.
Headlands Constituency Member of House of Assembly, Honourable Farai Mapfumo, who collaborated with Tonganyika Trust to make the training possible, said the grassroots empowerment initiative will go a long way in uplifting lives in the area and providing an alternative source of income beyond agriculture.
“Today, we witness the graduation of people from marginalised communities who never dreamt of accessing vehicle driving lessons on their doorstep, or training in hotel and catering. This is indeed grassroots empowerment made possible by the New Dispensation’s homegrown policies — hence the saying, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’. The participants are urged to put into practice the skills they have been taught to better their communities, generate income, become their own bosses and embrace self-employment. We need more of these engagements so that, as Headlands Constituency, we can play our part in combating drug and substance abuse brought on by idleness,” said Honourable Mapfumo.
A beneficiary of the programme, Miss Kerina Mawuru, who trained in hotel and catering as well as detergent making, said she intends to pool resources with other graduands, access larger markets and support one another’s growth.
“We are grateful to the organisers for such an empowerment programme. It was time well spent, and the skills I acquired will stay with me forever. I now hold a certificate in hotel and catering, and I can also make detergents. My plan is to join hands with other graduands to produce detergents on a large scale and supply the constituency and beyond,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr James Ware, who trained in hotel and catering, driving and detergent making, said the programme opened his eyes, and is ready to start a small business.
“To learn driving, one usually has to go to Rusape, which is an expensive process. But Tonganyika Trust brought driving lessons right here in the rural areas. My vision is to start a business using the skills I acquired from the training,” he said.
Assistant District Development Coordinator (Makoni), Mrs Tecla Bofu, said the programme will advance rural industrialisation as graduands will be involved in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and value addition of locally available products.
“The National Development Strategy (NDS2) and Vision 2030 emphasise youth empowerment as a key driver of Zimbabwe’s growth. The strategy aims to integrate young people into the mainstream economy through job creation, entrepreneurship and skills development, and highlights the importance of providing access to education, training, economic opportunities and protection from harmful practices.
“This programme has instilled confidence, restored dignity and ignited hope among the beneficiaries. It has shown that development is not only about infrastructure, but about investing in people — equipping them with the tools for self-reliance and sustainable growth,” said Mrs Bofu.
By nurturing a generation of skilled, confident and self-sufficient youths, Tonganyika Trust is contributing to long-term community resilience.
In a country where youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge, such initiatives show that sustainable solutions often begin at the grassroots.
As the programme continues to expand, there is hope that more young people across the country will seize the opportunity to learn, create and lead.
Through skill-building and empowerment, Tonganyika Trust is, not just changing lives — it is helping to build a future where young people are the architects of their own success.
