ILO supports Bulawayo entrepreneurs

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in collaboration with Dial Honour Consultancy, is set to assist start-up entrepreneurs in Bulawayo with a training workshop aimed at improving financial management skills and promoting decent work in the city's business community.

The workshop, which began earlier this week, is expected to run until Thursday. Its focus is to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes needed to manage their finances effectively and grow their businesses.

Shadreck Zhou, the director of Dial Honour Consultancy, spoke with Southern Eye about the objectives of the workshop, emphasizing the importance of supporting start-up businesses. "The seminar is expected to boost start-up entrepreneurs so that their fears vanish. From Monday to Thursday, the lessons will have removed fear from the entrepreneurs," Zhou said. He highlighted the critical role that financial management plays in the success of new businesses, noting that it is essential for entrepreneurs to have a solid foundation in handling finances.

The ILO's mission is to promote decent work by offering training and resources to individuals, especially those in the early stages of their business journey. Fortune Sithole, ILO coordinator for the project, stressed that the initiative was designed to address the financial management challenges faced by start-up entrepreneurs. "The project focuses on improving financial management skills for entrepreneurs who are on the path of growth but lack essential skills," Sithole explained.

He also shared a motivational example of Sis Bee's Kitchen, a business that began small but has grown significantly by focusing on customer satisfaction and effective management. "People must not be discouraged thinking their small businesses will take them nowhere. Sis Bee's kitchen started small but it is a motive as the business has gained a lot of customers and it is big," Sithole said.

A key theme of the workshop is addressing unrealistic expectations among young entrepreneurs. Sithole pointed out that many start-up business owners have grand, sometimes unattainable dreams that can hinder their growth. "Young people are facing the challenge of having wild dreams which end up affecting their small businesses. It is part of this training to take away the wild dreams so that these start-up entrepreneurs do not stick to one goal but have different sub-goals," he added.

The training is expected to help entrepreneurs set achievable targets, encouraging them to think practically and strategically as they build and expand their businesses.

The collaboration between the ILO and Dial Honour Consultancy is expected to have a significant impact on Bulawayo's entrepreneurial landscape. The workshop aims to foster a new generation of entrepreneurs who are well-equipped to navigate the challenges of starting and growing businesses, all while contributing to decent work and fair employment practices in the region.

As the workshop progresses, the hope is that the participants will gain the confidence and skills needed to succeed and, in turn, contribute to the economic development of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe as a whole.