The Zambia Governance Foundation (ZGF) has noted that its first-ever entrepreneurship train initiative has equipped young entrepreneurs with practical business skills aimed at helping them grow and sustain their enterprises.
The initiative, which took participants on a train journey from Lusaka to Livingstone, brought young entrepreneurs together, where they received mentorship, networking opportunities and entrepreneurship training.
Speaking in an interview with Lusaka Star, ZGF Communications and Advocacy Specialist, Fatima Mawele said the programme targeted young people already involved in business as well as those interested in entrepreneurship.
“As ZGF, we wanted to empower these young people and strengthen their entrepreneurial capacity,” Mawele said.
She said 50 entrepreneurs were selected for the inaugural programme, with hopes of increasing the number of participants in future editions.
She highlighted that participants received training in various areas, including business management and record-keeping, facilitated by consultants and entrepreneurship experts.
She further noted that participation in the programme was free and was funded by ZGF in partnership with COMUNDO, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Comic Relief.
Meanwhile, one of the participants Namakau Katema, described the programme as insightful and beneficial to young entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses.
Katema said she was motivated to join the initiative because it offered both mentorship and capacity building for small-scale entrepreneurs who often lack financial resources and business guidance.
“They showed us areas where our businesses are lacking and areas that need improvement,” she said.
Katema stated that one of the most valuable lessons she learned was the importance of perseverance in business.