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Youth

Zimbabwe Launches Alliance to Provide Skills Training to Thousands of Young People

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Zimbabwe government and other international aid organizations, has launched the Zimbabwe Works Phase One project, which aims to provide technical, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills training to thousands of young Zimbabweans. The project, funded by USAID, the governments of Sweden and Britain, has already assisted 8,500 young entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe, with plans to expand to 22,500 in the next few years.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Zimbabwe Works Phase One project is a three-year initiative that aims to ease unemployment and living conditions in Zimbabwe by providing skills training to young people.
  • The project has already assisted 8,500 young entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe, with 90% of them citing the program as beneficial for their career development.
  • The project's focus on entrepreneurship is crucial, as Zimbabwe's economy has shifted from formal to informal market, with many people earning a living through the informal sector.
  • The program aims to end extreme poverty through economic development, with the government estimating that less than 10% of over 300,000 school graduates are absorbed by the Zimbabwean job market annually.
  • The project has received $8 million in funding, with the government of Sweden and Britain contributing significantly to the initiative.

Statistics:

  • Over 300,000 school graduates are produced annually, but less than 10% are absorbed by the Zimbabwean job market.
  • Unemployment rates in Zimbabwe are estimated to be around 80%, although the government disputes this figure, citing those in the informal sector as employed.
  • The Zimbabwe Works Phase One project has already assisted 8,500 young entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe.
  • The project aims to assist 22,500 young entrepreneurs in the next few years.
  • The government of Zimbabwe estimates that around 90% of participants in the project have cited it as being beneficial for their career development.

Sources:

  • Voice of America (VOA)
  • Sebastian Mhofu
  • Stephanie Funk, Head of USAID in Zimbabwe
  • Lisa Mashaka, 23, a banking and finance graduate and participant in the Zimbabwe Works Phase One project
  • Zimbabwe government
  • European governments (Sweden and Britain)

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