Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
AN ambitious multi stakeholder US$5 million rural youth empowerment project dubbed – the Village Youth Empowerment through grocery shops and gas cage initiative – has been launched today in Mutare and is set to benefit more than 2 800 young persons in marginalized communities countrywide.
This initiative is a collaborative effort among one of the country’s Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) entity Mega Market Mega Market, Empower Bank, The Big Game Logistics, Old Mutual’s O’Mari, Barakah Gas and the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training and is set to provide sustainable economic opportunities for rural youth through grocery shops, gas, mobile money services and agency banking.
Under the initiative, Mega Market will provide the initial stock, maintain restocking options, collaborate with Big Game on logistics, as well as collect repayments via Empower Bank while Empower Bank will screen and assess youth groups, guarantee stock from Mega Market, provide POS machines, offer financial literacy and business training, monitor repayments, disburse agents’ commissions to the youths and also provide bank assurance services in stock.
The Ministry of Youth Empowerment Development and Vocational Training will identify and recommend qualify youth groups through its ward coordinators and provincial youth associations, deploy ward coordinators for monitoring, ensure all the youths are registered with National Youth Council, encourage youths to find shops to rent at recommended business centers and promote formalisation through assisting youths with registering legal persona.
Big Game Logistics will manage the logistics and stock distribution from depots and ensure deliveries to rural outlets. They will also train the youths on warehouse protocols and stock handling.
Old Mutual Digital Services Private Limited (O’Mari) will provide mobile money agent lines and float, train youths in digital financial services, co brand with marketing support and regalia, pay youth commissions for mobile transactions and promote rural uptake of digital banking services.
Barakah Gas will provide Liquified Petroleum (LP) gas and deliver weekly with no upfront deposit. They will also train youths on gas safety and handling as well as assist with licensing and regulatory requirements.
Speaking during the Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony at Mega Market Mutare today, Mega Market Head of Human Resources Mr Sam Hlabati said the initiative is a public affirmation of their collective commitment to youth empowerment.
“Mega Market has gone into partnership with other private players as well as Government through the Ministry of Youth Empowerment Development and Vocational Training.
“The initiative is meant to ensure that we just do not talk about Youth Empowerment but get the wheels moving. So in the programme we will be providing the products that will be sold by the youths in their shops. We are hoping that these youths through their businesses they will grow as we continue supporting them.
“We believe that we have a role to play in the development of this economy and this is one way we are doing so through developing or empowering the youths. Not only are we coming here to do business and as a partner that is playing its role in youth economic empowerment,” said Mr Hlabati.
Old Mutual Head of Digital Lending and Savings Mr Runyararo Nyandoro, said: “We are proud to partner with other likeminded organisations in the youth empowerment drive.
“Under Old Mutual Digital Services we have O’Mari that will allow the youths to run an agency business and that means youths in the areas in question will be able to cash in and cash out using this platform. We hope we will be able to grow and sustain their businesses.”
Empower Bank Board chairman Empower Bank Mr William Chaitezvi said: “This initiative is coming at a time when the National Youth Empowerment Strategy has just fallen into place. We are grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe for such an enabling environment. This is going to help a lot in terms of empowerment and financial inclusion of the youths in particular.”
