— Govt. encourages enterprenuership

Govt. encourages enterprenuership

Livingstone, September 25^TH, 2014,  ZANIS—Government says entrepreneurship has become the heartbeat of development, employment and economic growth.

And National Heritage Conservation Commission Executive Director Collins Chipote says his institution shall endeavor to provide tangible support to activities that benefit communities living in and around the Victoria Falls world heritage.

Deputy Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Susan Kawandami says world over, many countries and organizations are encouraging the young people and women to embrace entrepreneurship and to utilize the natural resources sustainably.

Ms. Kawandami said that government commends the initiative and partnership between the National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) and Centre for Heritage Development in Africa (CHDA) for bringing the training in Zambia and especially for allowing the Victoria Falls World Heritage site to host the event.

She said its government’s desire to see heritage sites contribute towards employment creation and promotion of entrepreneurial activities within chiefdoms adding that government will continue to provide an enabling environment that fosters such developments.

ZANIS reports that the Deputy minister said this when she officially opened a three weeks Victoria Falls Entrepreneurship workshop at Fairmount hotel in Livingstone, today.

She added that her ministry’s core mandate is to look at programmes aimed at alleviating rural underdevelopment as well as development of chiefdoms through creation of small to medium sized industries based on the natural resource endowment.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that there is need for the site’s natural state to be maintained so that it continues to play its pivotal role of being the beacon of tourism promotion in Zambia.

Mrs. Kawandami urged the financial institutions to come up with mechanisms that will encourage borrowing by local entrepreneurs and called upon fellow African states to support Zambia’s efforts of nominating some of its sites to the World Heritage list.

Earlier, National Heritage Conservation Commission Executive Director Collins Chipote says his institution shall endeavor to provide tangible support to activities that benefit communities living in and around the Victoria Falls world heritage.

Mr. Chipote said while at the same time helping to conserve the site in a sustainable way.

He expressed hope that at the end of the training, participants will have acquired increased entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, which will reinforce their involvement as they work towards searching other beneficial income generating activities.

The workshop that has been sponsored by Africa Wild Heritage Fund (AWHF) in collaboration with CHDA will train and impart entrepreneurship skills to 16 participants coming from other countries in Africa as well as others from the local community mainly from Chief Mukuni of Kazungula district and other areas around Victoria Falls.