Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) president and women’s desk chair, Devine Ndhlukula has told women that there are business opportunities in the country which has witnessed more a 100 companies closing down down last year. Ndlukula was giving welcome remarks during the 5th Annual Women in Enterprise Conference and Awards (WECA) in Harare today.
The newly appointed ZNCC president said that opportunities for women were there in horticulture.
“There are opportunities in Zimbabwe, let us not mourn and say there are no opportunities,” said Ndlukula.
WECA was attended by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Chiratidzo Mabuwa, women into entrepreneurship, guests from South Africa, representatives from different companies as well as women who run entrepreneurial activities in Zimbabwe.
Ndlukula said that they are opportunities to supply horticulture products to Namibia for women who are in business.
ZNCC leader who succeeded Davison Norupiri in June this year also said that the other opportunities are in renewable energy.
“Opportunities are there to do business in India and Rwanda because we have trade missions there,” she said.
People are venturing into entrepreneurship as the companies are either retrenching or closing down due to economic hardships.
Mabuwa, who officially opened WECA gave an opportunity for the US$90 million women’s funds from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The Deputy Minister encouraged the women to make use of the women’s grand and to also never give in business.
“Whether you are in business or in politics nothing comes out of a silver platter… When you get an opportunity don’t blink” he said.
The RBZ this year opened funds for Small and Medium Enterprises and also a fund for women who are into business.
WECA is a platform where women are supported in building large enterprises. The platform’s theme this year is “Accelerating Growth: Connecting Women-Owned Business to Sustainable Markets”.
