Zimbabwe has launched the Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA) Programme.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sheillah Chikomo, officially launched the programme in Harare, yesterday, saying the initiative would translate economic diplomacy into practical opportunities for local entrepreneurs and support inclusive industrialisation.
“The programme is aligned with the Second Republic’s Zimbabwe is Open for Business policy and the country’s preparations for the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit.
The COYWA Programme provides a practical framework for ensuring that our young people and women are not merely spectators in the regional economy, but active participants in industrialisation, enterprise development and cross-border trade,” she said.
She said empowering youth- and women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was essential to expanding productive capacity, creating employment and enabling more businesses to access regional and continental markets.
“By addressing the financial and structural barriers that often prevent young people and women from establishing sustainable enterprises, we are creating opportunities for them to turn their ideas, skills and resources into viable businesses,” Chikomo said.
Chikomo said the focus on value addition would help local entrepreneurs move beyond supplying raw materials towards manufacturing finished goods with greater commercial value.
“The leather sector presents opportunities for our entrepreneurs to develop competitive products, strengthen local production and participate more meaningfully in regional and international value chains,” she said.
The programme will provide entrepreneurship training, digital literacy and technical mentorship to help beneficiaries develop their businesses and improve their competitiveness.
Chikomo also called on financial institutions to support emerging enterprises through accessible financing and credit guarantees, saying limited access to capital remained a major obstacle for many start-ups.
“Training and mentorship must be complemented by access to finance if we are to build sustainable enterprises. We therefore encourage financial institutions to develop innovative financing solutions that enable youth- and women-led businesses to grow,” she said.
The initiative is expected to support job creation and strengthen Zimbabwean businesses’ participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to expand trade among African countries.
