Youth Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development in Zimbabwe (“Youth Economic Empowerment”) Activity under the Local Works Zimbabwe Youth Program

Youth Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development in Zimbabwe (“Youth Economic Empowerment”) Activity under the Local Works Zimbabwe Youth Program The Youth Economic Empowerment Activity is a unique opportunity for applicants to bring together local voices to achieve a common mission and vision and builds upon years of efforts under the Local Works program in USAID/Zimbabwe. From the engagement and learning with local actors described above, USAID and key youth stakeholders have generated the following goal statement, which encompasses the future this funding opportunity hopes to achieve: A resilient and sustainable entrepreneurship development ecosystem in which actors identify, nurture and support youth-owned enterprises that are scalable, innovative, inclusive, locally driven and market-demanded in any sector of the economy. The Activity will bring together local actors across Zimbabwe to engage in collaborative action, promote multi-stakeholder dialogue, generate cross-sector partnerships, and discover collaborative solutions to make this future a reality. Such local actors MAY include entrepreneurs; youth-led and youth-serving Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society Organizations; academic institutions; private sector companies; business associations; financial institutions and other funders; innovation and entrepreneurship incubation hubs; business development services providers; business mentors, coaches, and counselors; vocational and technical training centers and many others. To strengthen local systems and ensure collaborative efforts and solutions, USAID/Zimbabwe strongly recommends local actors to apply as groups or consortiums of individuals or institutions who complement each other to address the complex challenges facing youth in Zimbabwe.