Working site boost for SMEs

Blessings Chidakwa and Yeukai Karengezeka

GOVERNMENT has started identifying industrial sites that are lying idle so that it avails working space to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), with a model having been set up in Bulawayo.

Touring Today’s Business Women and Development Trust works in Harare on Friday, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said Government was also in the process of linking SMEs, as lack of their connectivity was hindering their potential.

Minister Nyoni said beginning of next month, Government will also open a supermarket for SMEs in Harare to sell their products.

“SMEs are faced with space challenges yet we have industries that are lying idle, we will make that unused space available to them,” she said.

“In Bulawayo, we identified a place to house SMEs from the same sector under one roof where they are sharing rentals.”

Minister Nyoni said President Mnangagwa created a conducive environment for SMEs to grow, but lack of link between SMEs had been the problem.

“SMEs, you are doing wonders, but not connected,” she said.

“At Siyaso industries there are all sorts of machines you require to manufacture your products, but what lacks is that connectivity among yourselves.

“We will connect you to finances that you need as we have the Women’s Bank.”

Minister Nyoni pledged that her ministry would assist in the construction of a supermarket for SMEs.

“In the first week of August we are going to open up a supermarket for SMEs in and around Harare where you will be selling your products,” she said.

Today’s Business Women and Development Trust founder Mrs Uzzilah Hove said the trust is an organisation that empowers women to work and rise.

“We have embarked on a journey where we are empowering women in Zimbabwe to be in the manufacturing industry,” she said.

“We are showcasing our products that we are manufacturing and we encourage them to start small.

“The ladies are manufacturing honey, washing powder, green soap, detergents, petroleum jelly, drinks, sausages among other things.”

Mrs Hove said the major problem they were facing was of space and lack of machinery.

“Currently, they do most of the things manually and hire some machines that they use,” she said.

“We are also using a very small place to do our manufacturing.

“We noticed that here in Zimbabwe most people travel as far as South Africa to buy these products we already have. We need to resuscitate our economy as women.”