Education Zimbabwe Project #50554

Develop 2,000 future business leaders in Zimbabwe

by Emergination Africa

Develop 2,000 future business leaders in Zimbabwe

Project Report | Nov 29, 2024
National Business Case Competition (Provincials)

By Yolanda Million | Operations and Administration Manager

As Emergination Africa continues to nurture the next generation of business leaders in Africa, the fifth edition of the National Business Case Competition (NBCC) in 2024 was a remarkable success. This year, 140 teams from 88 schools showcased their innovative business ideas during the provincial competitions held across all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. This milestone brings us closer to our ambitious goal of impacting 2 million learners and accelerating 360 micro ventures by 2027.

This report provides insights into the activities for the period August-November for the National Business Case Competition (NBCC) program.

Schools Onboarding and Submissions

Despite the continued challenges of onboarding, the number of schools has increased significantly in the month of May. The team was supported with airtime for direct calls to the school to widen the scope of engagement. This process slightly increased the number of schools to a total of 211 schools. There is also a general disinterest from schools that have been part of the NBCC in previous years arising from their failure to qualify for the national finals. This points to a mindset challenge around participation and the development of high school entrepreneurs. Some schools view the NBCC as merely a competition not a life-long learning opportunity for the learners. This speaks highly to the need for direct learner engagement across Zimbabwe. While some teachers have fully conceptualized the aim of the program, there are some who still require more knowledge building, since some feel that the educator does not benefit much from the program.

Selection and Review of Submissions

This year, there was no selection process since all teams were set to participate in the Provincial competitions. However, there was an online submission of proposals. The online submission aimed to gather feedback from judges to help learners refine their presentations for a live pitch. We were deeply impressed by the creativity and innovation showcased in the proposals received. The team began the review process in the first week of August, and by August 16, 2024, all submissions had been reviewed. This review process offered clear insights and enhanced the presentation quality before the live event.

Masterclasses

Masterclass sessions provide a direct link between high school learners and industry experts in business. These sessions are crucial in shaping and enhancing learners’ knowledge and skills in various business matters. They are also a key element in the NBCC journey, offering learners their first point of contact with the business world. The 2024 Masterclasses were led and supported by experts from Deloitte Germany, Deloitte Zimbabwe, Deloitte Africa, and one independent volunteer. Preparations began with the onboarding of session leads by Christian Koropp from Deloitte Community. In total, we attracted 47 facilitators, 6 advisors, and 6 main speakers.

NBCC Provincials

This year, the NBCC 2024 provincial competitions were held physically across all 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. The series of events began with a launch at Prince Edward School in Harare on September 12th, attended by participants from Harare, Mashonaland East, and Mashonaland Central provinces. The launch event was honored by the presence of Provincial Education Directors, District Schools Inspectors, and other esteemed guests from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

The Manicaland competitions took place on September 13th at First Class Academy in Fern Valley, Mutare. This was followed by the Masvingo Province competition on September 14th at Mutendi High School. On September 17th, we hosted the Matabeleland North competition at Fatima High School in Lupane, with Bulawayo and Matabeleland South competitions held on September 18th at Northlea High School. The Midlands Provincial competition was conducted on September 19th at Nashville High School in Gweru. Finally, the Mashonaland West competition was held on September 20th at Rydings College in Karoi.

Attachments:

NBCC_2024_Report.pdf (PDF)

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Aug 1, 2024
National Business Case Competition 2024 Progress

By Yolanda Million | Operations and Administration Manager

Dear Stakeholders,

Emergination Africa (EA) aims to impact 2 million learners by the year 2027, creating 360 micro ventures. This will be achieved through our National Business Case Competition (NBCC), where high school learners are afforded a unique opportunity to generate employment prospects before they even set foot in the job market. It presents a platform for young individuals to showcase their innovative solutions, propelling them towards becoming employers themselves. As these enterprising youth establish sustainable, practical, and scalable ventures, they will, in turn, create employment opportunities for others.

Schools Onboarding

This year’s NBCC has successfully reached 211 schools across all 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. These schools have registered to participate in the program, with each school providing up to three teams of five learners working on a project.

Educator Capacity Building Activities

The NBCC is supported by teacher coaches who provide facilitation, coaching, and mentorship to learner teams in various schools. This year, we supported our educators through educator capacity-building activities. Educator capacity building in terms of knowledge and skills is an important aspect of EA’s work. To ensure that the teacher coaches are knowledgeable and have the requisite skills to assist learners throughout the NBCC journey, an Educator Venture Development Training Program (EVDT) is designed and implemented within program activities. We managed to train educators in two provinces (Masvingo and Manicaland) physically and four provinces virtually.

The physical training in Masvingo Province took place at Junior High School on April 25, 2024, with a turnout of 60 educators, including school heads from 18 out of 23 registered schools (78% turnout). Masvingo has shown great commitment and interest in the NBCC over the years.

On the 31st of May, the EA training team traveled to Manicaland to engage with teacher coaches on how to facilitate the NBCC journey. The workshop was well attended, with new schools joining. A total of 45 educators were trained. Teachers indicated that the program was very beneficial for the learners, and they were ready to support and ensure that learners came up with innovative and sustainable solutions.

With support from all our donors, the funds will help 422 educators impact an average of 80,180 learners in the NBCC program. We are currently in the submission and selection phase of teams that will proceed to the NBCC provincial competition in September. These teams will pitch in person to a panel of judges, with a chance to be selected for the Virtual Innovation Accelerator program. We are grateful to our donors and the GlobalGiving platform.

Attachments:

National Business Case Competition 2024 Progress (PDF)

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Apr 3, 2024
Develop 1000 future business leaders in Zimbabwe

By Yolanda Million | Operations and Administration Manager

Virtual Innovation Accelerator Update

EA continues to offer programs that support the creation of Africa’s future business leaders. Five schools, namely Anderson High School, Mutendi High School, Tongwe High School, Evelyn High School, and St. Dominic’s Chishawasha, were identified last year during the National Business Case competition. They continue to progress in the hope of starting their operations in the next six months. The program has managed to have a direct impact on 25 learners and indirectly on 408 learners. Direct Impact refers to the total number of learners that were selected for the Virtual Innovation Accelerator, and Indirect Impact refers to the number of learners who were invited to attend the Virtual Innovation Accelerator Initial Training. This initial training focused on improving the learners’ entrepreneurial skills, Microsoft Office skills, team-building skills, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, relationships with advisors and industry, personal and company branding, business etiquette and ethics, commitment to others when it comes to matters of the economy, financial management skills, marketing skills, business modeling and setup skills, among others.

NBCC Launch

This year, Emergination Africa is launching the 5th edition of the National Business Case Competition and the 4th cohort of the Virtual Innovator Accelerator. Through the National Business Case Competition, Emergination Africa (EA) aims to impact 2 million learners and create 360 micro ventures by 2027. In this competition, high school learners are afforded a unique opportunity to generate employment prospects before they even set foot in the job market. It presents a platform for young individuals to showcase their innovative solutions, propelling them towards the realm of becoming employers themselves. As these enterprising youth establish sustainable, practical, and scalable ventures, they, in turn, will create employment opportunities for others after incubation in the Virtual Innovator Accelerator.

The onboarding process picked up from schools that had previously been onboarded with a re-registration process. The number of schools onboarded so far is 118, with a target of 400 schools, and onboarding is still ongoing.

This year’s competition focuses on three critical industries: Agriculture, Business Services, and Environment & Climate. Participants are challenged to select one case, identify and address local challenges within the chosen sector, and offer viable business solutions accompanied by prototypes. The competition aims to foster entrepreneurial spirit, drive economic growth, and inspire sustainable development in Zimbabwe in alignment with National Development Strategy 1.

Through support from all the donors, the funds will be able to help 50 learners and 20 educators attend the final National Business Case Competition in September 2023 in Bulawayo in preparation for the 2024 VIA cohort. For more information, please reach us out on info@emerginationafrica.org

Attachments:

Develop_1000_future_business_leaders_in_Zimbabwe_50554__Report.pdf (PDF)

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