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Minister Kasukuwere, who is also the Member of Parliament for Mt Darwin South, also urged the youth to come up with project proposals so that they can apply for funding from the Zimbabwe Youth Fund.
He was speaking at an interactive meeting to discuss indigenisation in Mt Darwin last week.
“Youth, as leaders of tomorrow, do not sit back and relax.” he said.
“Grab the opportunity that the Government has brought to your doorstep. Go and apply for loans. You should become self-reliant, which is critical in your development.”
Old Mutual set up a US$10 million Kurera-Ukondla Youth Empowerment Fund to help the young people to start income-generating projects.
The fund is being administered by CABS.
Old Mutual said it disbursed US$1,6 million in September last year.
Minister Kasukuwere donated five sewing machines to a group of women involved in sewing projects.
He also commended a group of 10 youths who have been issued with a gold prospecting licence and pledged to assist them access the necessary funding in order to commence operations.
Government embarked on the indigenisation and empowerment drive, a programme that seeks to economically empower black indigenous Zimbabweans. The law also requires foreign-owned companies to turn over their majority shareholding to black Zimbabweans.
Some major companies, including mines, have submitted indigenisation plans to comply with the law. These include Old Mutual, Meikles, Zimplats, Unki Platinum, which is owned by Anglo America and Mimosa Mining Company jointly owned by Impala Platinum and Aquarius.
Community share ownership schemes were also established in Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Midlands and Matabeleland North Provinces with communities already benefiting.
leeroy