by Rudo Saungweme
The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Development is set to host the 2019 Incubation Program in January 2019.
The programme has ignited much interest from Zimbabweans in the SMEs sector. The programme will see interested applicants getting training from the 25 offered programme.
“The Ministry of SMEs has touched the hearts of many. The local products are now marketable. Zimbabweans have discovered that the goods we produce here are high quality products.
“We are happy that the Ministry has liaised with a number of banks so that we get financial assistance. Capital is our major setback,” said Chido Mapeto who is in the business of manufacturing laundry soap.
Harare Post has learnt that interested entrepreneurs are required to identify one area of interest from the 25 programs which includes, Bakery (Bread and biscuit), Wax candle, Bottle closure manufacturing, PET bottle manufacturing, toilet roll manufacturing, cooking oil extraction and packing, brick moulding among others.
Tinopona Mlausi who indicated that she is also one of the participants said, “This is a very good move, which I feel every Zimbabwean must participate. People are used to buy things from abroad. Can you imagine importing a toilet paper?
“We have the resources here in Zimbabwe. If we venture into value addition, it means that we will be one of the biggest exporters in Africa. The foreign currency we are making noise about will be a thing of the past,” she said
The Ministry of SMEs administers and operates the India-Africa Incubation Centre in Waterfalls, Harare. The Centre provides facilities and services to prospective manufacturing entrepreneurs in order to promote their development into viable and freestanding enterprises. It plays a pioneering role in promoting entrepreneurship and value addition in small and medium scale manufacturing enterprises. The Centre runs a year long incubation program which provides among others, incubation services, technology support, machinery, workspace and training in both technical and business management skills.
