Zimpapers Logo

Freeman Razemba Senior Reporter
Mobile phone operator NetOne yesterday recruited more than 400 people as part of its ambitious project to create 20 000 jobs countrywide.

The employees mainly youths, were dispatched to Highfield where they were selling NetOne lines, registering customers and replacing lines, among other duties.

In an interview, NetOne acting chief executive officer Mr Brian Mutandiro, said he was happy that the first batch had started work.

“We are happy the first batch has started work and I am impressed by the aggressiveness of these brand ambassadors. The future is orange and we will paint the whole country orange.

“Young men and women you see here will be educating people on the affordable and efficient products we have. It is high time Zimbabweans are aware of their right to be able to access affordable communicational solutions,” he said.

One of the brand ambassadors Miss Rudo Chifamba, said she was very happy to be employed as many people of her age were still unemployed.

“I am very happy I got this job and it’s an honour for me to be a NetOne brand ambassador. A lot of people are unemployed and I was very fortunate to get this offer. I will represent, market and sell the NetOne brand very well as I was trusted to be offered this position,”.

A vendor operating in Highfield at an area popularly known as Mastones, Mrs Alice Chibaya said; “As a vendor, I want something which my pocket can afford easily. I am very happy that NetOne has come to us. I used to hear about OneFusion and today I bought my line and at the same time maintaining my last six digits of the number of the other network I was using,” she said.

Last month, NetOne came up with the ambitious project, which will see the company employing thousands of Zimbabweans.

Thousands of youths thronged the TelOne Training Centre in Harare where the mobile operator recruited at least 2 000 brand ambassadors.

NetOne intends to recruit at least 2 000 youths aged between 19 and 35 from each of the country’s 10 provinces in the next six months.

This will accumulatively result in 20 000 jobs being created.

Mr Mutandiro said the campaign was part of the parastatal’s mission to contribute towards Government’s quest to create employment.

“We seek to complement what the Government is trying to do in the country and for us it is a win-win situation,” said Mr Mutandiro.

“It is not about us getting money from the community, but it is also about us employing and giving back to the community in the spirit of employing them.

“As we employ them, they are going to go out there, market and sell our products so that people can experience our products.”