YOUTHS have applauded Accountability Lab Zimbabwe for its Incubator program which has assisted them to achieve their entrepreneurship goals.
This comes after ALZ recently hosted the 2024 cohort graduation, marking a significant milestone for ten young civil society leaders.
The Accountability Incubator program is designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to build sustainable, effective tools for accountability, participation, and open government.
Makanaka Mavesere, one of the graduates, expressed his gratitude for the program, citing the invaluable opportunity to expand his business network.
“The program opened me up to resources that enabled me to begin my journey. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 7 years as a Real Estate Practitioner outside of being a social entrepreneur. I gained communication, networking, resource mobilization, friendraising, pitching, and vision statements skills,” he said.
The program provides a supportive environment for creative, enterprising individuals to develop innovative ideas that inspire accountability in their communities.
Despite receiving resources, Mavesere faced challenges during the program, including obtaining approval from the City Council.
“I had challenges getting approval from City Council which I overcame by communicating with multiple stakeholders like the Mayor, Councillors and Junior Councillor Steward,” he said.
Mavesere is the founder of “The Young Observer pioneering journalism and media initiative he runs in his hometown of Kadoma.
Makanaka mentors and empowers young people with advocacy and lobby, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to help them excel.
Munyaradzi Dembenuzani, a journalist and co-founder of Mbilez24, also graduated from the program. He expressed his satisfaction with achieving his goals, including gaining skills and knowledge to take Mbilez24 to the next level.
“When I started the program, my goal was to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to take Mbilez24, to the next level. I wanted to learn how to effectively advocate for social justice, and human rights, create strong networks, and encourage youths to be active citizens. I’m proud to say that I achieved most of my goals and even exceeded expectations in the interactions,” he said.
The program had a significant impact on Dembenuzani’s business, Mbilez24, which has been recognized for its community impact and awarded the prestigious Best Newsmaker of the Year award at the 2022 UMWE Community Awards.
“The program helped me grow as an accountapreneur by providing me with the tools and expertise I needed to develop a sustainable and impactful business model. I developed skills in areas such as strategic planning, effective communication, branding, and leadership skills. I also learned how to effectively engage with stakeholders, including community members, policymakers, and development partners,” he said.
