Empowerment group sets ambitious targets

A LOCAL black empowerment lobby group, the Affirmative Action Group (AAG), has set ambitious targets as they seek to empower students across the country.
Addressing the media recently, AAG vice president Anastancia Ndlovu urged tertiary students to start small businesses that will enable them to generate income.
“We are saying students must organise themselves and come to us as AAG. We can help them to venture into mining and different businesses. Take advantage that we are here for you. Vision 2030 must be a success story. We say to you, make this achievement known and also explore the opportunities which have been availed by Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1.

Anastasia Ndlovu, AAG vice president

“Nothing stops you from organising yourselves in groups or syndicates. We can help you to start an income-generating project, it doesn’t matter that you are still studying, you can get into mining, agriculture, or retail. You don’t need to finish your university to become an entrepreneur. You can also supply the things that students want daily,” Ndlovu said.

Speaking at the same briefing, the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union president at Women’s University, Tatenda Nhira, hailed AAG for the initiative, saying there was a need to empower the girl-child for the country to move forward. AAG recently threatened to take over disused mines and underutilised farms and redistribute them to the youth.

AAG co-vice president Munyaradzi Kashambe said they were engaging the Mines ministry over the issue of disused mines.

“We are not happy with some of the big mines which are not being used, big mines are just holding on to huge claims doing nothing.
“We want to appeal to the ministry of Mines to implement the ‘use it or lose it policy’, it’s already there.

“As AAG, we are working with the ministry to identify all these disused mines so that we take them and give them to our young people, the youth are eager to mine.
“Those in disused mines and underutilised farms must know that we are coming there to make sure that the laws are being followed,” Kashambe said.  newsdesk@fingaz.co.zw