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Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Reporter
Vice President Kembo Mohadi has urged corporates to work closely with young people as the country moves towards sustainable economic development.

Speaking at the inaugural Young Achievers Expo, which started in Harare yesterday, VP Mohadi said youths must also take advantage of empowerment programmes availed by Government, particularly in the area of education and vocational skills development.

He said such programmes facilitate creativity among young people to create jobs and realise their full potential while solving daily challenges.

“Our young people have proven to be very creative and enterprising and in a way this is evidenced by the rise of the highly thriving informal sector. Government will continue to engage young people to support them to grow their enterprises so that eventually, they contribute meaningfully to the Gross Domestic Product,” said VP Mohadi.

He said some of the initiatives which youths must take advantage of include vocational training and skills development programmes being implemented under the Ministry of Youths, Sports, Arts and Recreation, production and incubation hubs in some service centres and national youth service training.

He said the Young Achievers Expo was also one such programme aimed at empowering youths for sustainable economic growth.

“In that regard, let me take this opportunity to invite more partners to work with young people in their initiatives,” said VP Mohadi.

He applauded organisers of the expo saying it was exciting to note that young people were no just waiting for Government or donors, but were fully engaged and aware of not only their needs, but also how to address them.

Speaking at the same occasion, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavima said The Young Achievers Expo was unique in that it brings young people and industry together not for traditional career guidance, but for entrepreneurial mentorship.

Prof Mavima said one way of achieving this vision was through employment creation.

“With sufficient promotion of entrepreneurship, our beloved country will be able to transform itself from poverty to wealth within one generation. If other countries that are much smaller than us in land mass and that are less endowed with natural resources, e.g South Korea have done it, then there is no reason whatsoever why Zimbabwe can fail to pull itself from economic doldrums into prosperity,” said Prof Mavima.

One of the founders of the Young Achievers Expo, Mr Marvellous Chadyiwa urged youths to take advantage of the opportunity.

The expo is running for three days.