Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma, Business Correspondent
BULAWAYO Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube has urged businesswomen in the city to work together closely in their businesses in order to play their part in reviving the economy.
Speaking at the launch of the Purse on Point entrepreneurship training programme in Bulawayo yesterday, she said through collective determination, entrepreneurs can achieve Vision 2030.
The entrepreneurship training initiative is aimed at capacitating women entrepreneurs and the programme was being funded by the United States’ State Department and implemented by World Learning, that country’s international development unit where 40 women will undergo the 10-day training.
“I urge participants for this project to ride on the support programme and establish knowledge based enterprises because information and knowledge are quickly becoming primary wealth-creating assets.
“Together we can achieve the collective determination and aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe for a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030,” said Minister Ncube.
She urged participants to utilise the training programme in order to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“We feel honoured to have the pilot training programme in our city and congratulations to the participants who have made it into the programme.
“I hope they will use the financial literacy skills gained to contribute positively to the GDP of our city and country as a whole,” said Minister Ncube.
Facilitator of the programme in the country, Portify Investments founder Mrs Thubelihle Ndlovu, urged the participating businesswomen from around the city to mingle and create future relationships.
“As Bulawayo businesswomen, the training should be an eye-opener on how you can make your business a success.
“The main aim of the Purse on Point project is to catalyse the bridging of the financial exclusion gap among women in Africa by offering financial literacy and entrepreneurship training as well as other business scaling-up opportunities,” she said.
Speaking at the same event Miss Nomuntu Ndlovu from South Africa said the programme will ensure their businesses grow.
Participants in the programme are women who run legal consultancies, events management companies, salons, tuckshops, nursery schools, public transport services and fashion designing, among other businesses.
The project will also be held in South Africa in Mpumalanga and in Uganda at Kasaana in Luweero district. — @mthabisi_mthire.
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