Maravi

ZCSMBA calls for the building of small business

ZCSMBA calls for the building of small business
By Nomusa Michelo
Monday December 17, 2007 [03:00]

ZAMBIA Chamber of Small and Medium Business Associations (ZCSMBA) chairperson Timothy Siakaziba has said there is need to build the small sector business operators in order to foster development. In an interview, Siakaziba said small business operators were an important part of Zambia’s economy and should be supported. “The development of this economy lies in the hands of the formal and small sector operators,” he said. Siakaziba said ZCSMBA had received funding for capacity building in entrepreneurial and business management skills and processing for its members.

“We got the Africa capacity building funding, who are funding us for the next four years involving US$1.7 million,” he said. “We also have had money that we have got from TEVETA (Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority) and just in the course of this year we signed for close to K400 million for capacity building in terms of entrepreneurship and other business management skills among our members especially in processing and manufacturing.”

Siakaziba said the association had received good support from cooperating partners to support business development. “Recently we received funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy, and the Government of Finland which is going to support the business development services which is called the voucher system,” he said.

He said the voucher system would be done in partnership with the government through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA). “The main beneficiaries are ZCBSMA and Zambia, National Farmers Union (ZNFU),” he said. “We are starting to pilot these business development services for ZCSMBA in Mazabuka in the course of this year after we have secured the fund manager.

Labels: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, ECONOMY, SMEs, TEVETA, ZCSMBA, ZDA, ZNFU

posted by MrK @ 11:35 AM