Youth Connekt Start-Up Tour Bus: 10 Provinces Done!

August 15, 2019

The Start-Up Tour Bus in Gweru, Midlands

The Youth Connekt Start-Up Tour Bus completed its tour of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces on the 9th of August, 2019 in Bulawayo. Ten winners have been selected to compete in the National Finals which will be taking place in Harare on the 6th of September, 2019. Each provincial winner received a $5000 USD prize for their start-up business. From technology to agriculture, the winners listed below have created innovative products and services for various sectors:

Province

Winner

Innovation

Mashonaland Central  

Kudzaishe Mumanikwi

Battery/solar powered generator

Matabeleland South

Andrew Mupangajekwa

Biomass briquettes

Masvingo

Donbosco Masendeke 

Automated poultry feeder

Mashonaland West

Chipo Chihunda 

Roofing tiles from plastic waste

Manicaland

Panashe Madzudzo 

Digitisation of school/university applications

Mashonaland East  

Blessing Phiri  

A bot that enhances the learning experience on WhatsApp

Harare

Tatenda Mpofu

Virtual reality home tours

Midlands

Saberstian Sibanda

Chemical free animal feed that grows in 7 days

Matabeleland North

Zibusiso Ndlovu

Wheelchair controlled with a joystick and head motion

Bulawayo

Gugulethu Siso

Logistics delivery platform

During the Harare leg of the competition, the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, Hon. Kirsty Coventry  stated she was impressed with the innovative pitches shared by the young people and reiterated the importance of having platforms where they can pitch their businesses.

The Start-Up Tour Bus is the first initiative launched by Youth Connekt in Zimbabwe. Youth Connekt is being led by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is a pilot platform which is empowering youths to play their rightful role in the development of the country.  This is being established through skills and entrepreneurship development, access to finance, networking and dialogue opportunities.

The Youth Connekt Start-Up Tour Bus is being implemented in collaboration with Elevate Youth, Higher Life Foundation, Steward Bank’s Millennial Banking, Impact Hub, Micah Foundation, UN Volunteers, Innovators’ Hub Clubs, Zimbabwe Youth Council and the Ministry of Womens Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development.

Follow @YouthConnektZim on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to see the journey so far and for updates on the National Finals in September.