Ponesai Vanhu Technical College, Shamva District, Zimbabwe – The 3rd Graduation Ceremony of Ponesai Vanhu Technical College took place on Thursday, 13 November 2025, with the theme “Leaving No One and No Place Behind through Skills Development and Youth Empowerment”.
The Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, who is also the Member of Parliament for Mt Darwin South, Honourable Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, delivered the keynote address, congratulating the 324 graduates (140 male and 184 female) on their achievement.
Honourable Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, the Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training, as well as the Member of Parliament for Mt Darwin South, delivered the keynote address, congratulating the 324 graduates, comprising 140 males and 184 females, on their accomplishment.
“In today’s world, vocational education stands at the centre stage of our national development strategy,” said Honourable Mupamhanga. “Ponesai Vanhu Technical College is a shining example of our national motto, ‘Leaving No One and No Place Behind’.”
The Minister commended the college for its commitment to empowering young people and contributing to national development. He urged the graduates to use their skills to uplift their families and communities, and to become leaders in their chosen fields.
Graduation Highlights:
53 youth (42 male and 11 female) graduated in 2 long courses accredited by HEXCO.
271 youth (98 male and 173 female) graduated in 9 short courses accredited by Bindura University of Science Education.
240 students graduated in agri-entrepreneurship courses accredited by Bindura University of Science Education.
DAPP Zimbabwe Country Director, Luckson Soda, highlighted how the college has gone beyond Zimbabwe’s borders through its integration into the Africa Skills Revolution, where some TVET students have participated in the AUDA-NEPAD HUMANA initiative to revolutionise vocational education and training.
“Students from this college participated in the Skills. Revolution competition in 2025, where they demonstrated innovation in vocational training in Africa. Although they did not win awards, I am proud to say that 3 youth from Angola, Namibia, and Malawi, from DAPP-owned vocational training centres, made it into the top 10. It is my appeal to you, Honourable Minister that you encourage more youth from Vocational training Centres in Zimbabwe to partake in the Africa Skills Revolution, so that through innovation, together the government and all players here, we give the world what it really needs and what works in our specific context.
This is not just a success for those individuals, but a collective achievement for our entire Humana People to People network. It is a testament to the innovation and potential that exist within Africa’s youth, and it highlights the growing strength of vocational training across our continent.
As we look toward the future, let this graduation serve as a reminder that the responsibility to shape Africa’s development lies in our hands. I urge all graduates here today to take the skills you have acquired and boldly step into the opportunities offered through the Africa Skills Revolution. Participate, innovate, collaborate and let your work reflect the excellence and resilience of Zimbabwean youth.” Said Mr Soda
“I am grateful to DAPP Zimbabwe and the government for providing us with the opportunity to acquire on-the-job demand skills that will allow me to compete in my area of specialty, become an entrepreneur and also improve my life,” said Robert Mataramvura, a 30-year-old graduate of Confectionery and Bakery Studies.
Another graduate, 22-year-old Mercy Muchecheko, who specialised in Motor Vehicle Maintenance, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “As a single mother of one, I am excited to return to my community and share the knowledge and skills I have gained. I am confident that I will earn a living for myself and my child”
Two best students, one male and one female from the Motor Mechanics department, received start-up kits awards from InstaToll Zimbabwe. Additionally, two outstanding ladies from Confectionary and Bakery Studies, one of whom is living with a disability also got start-up kits awards from the HigherLife Foundation. These start-up kits are a great milestone for these youths as they begin their journey.
According to UNESCO, TVET in Africa faces challenges like high youth unemployment (over 20%), a mismatch between skills and labor market needs, and inadequate funding and infrastructure.
Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing our communities, especially farmers and rural populations. But what if the solution wasn’t just about adapting, but about empowering a new generation to lead the change? That’s the big idea behind the Youth Empowerment for Climate Change Solutions Project, a new collaboration between Development Aid from People to People Zimbabwe (DAPP Zimbabwe) and Development Aid from People to People Zimbabwe Malawi (DAPP Malawi). This project is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (NOREC) and is set to run from August 2025 to June 2027. NOREC is a Norwegian government agency that promotes global learning, understanding and development through the international exchange of personnel.
This exchange program aims to address the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related challenges by facilitating mutual learning between youth leaders from both Zimbabwe and Malawi. By equipping the youth with new skills, knowledge and methods in sustainable farming and climate adaptation and mitigation, the project seeks to strengthen the resilience of rural communities and empower youth as stewards of sustainable practices. Upon returning to Zimbabwe and Malawi, the participants will share their newly acquired expertise, with their organisations and communities, fostering a broader awareness and adaptation to climate change.
The project is being implemented in two phases, with the first phase ending in August 2026 and this phase we are already seeing the exchange in action, with three youth leaders from Zimbabwe; Kelvin Guruve, Ross Phiri and Revealed Mashonganyika having gone to Malawi and while DAPP Zimbabwe welcomed Happy Makawa, Regina Saiwala and Faresi Friday.
Throughout the project, participants will engage in hands-on workshops, site visits, collaborative projects and leadership training that focus on practical skills and innovative solutions. They will develop essential skills in advocacy and community mobilization. Participants will attend workshops, visit farms and work together on projects that create tangible solutions. Together, they will co-design strategies to address the challenges faced by rural communities, fostering cross-cultural dialogue that encourages innovation and inspires meaningful change.
We are excited to embark on this journey and are eager to witness the profound impact these young agents of change will have. Together, we can create a brighter future for both our communities and our planet.
A new project aimed at building the resilience of communities in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe, to climate change has been launched. The Building adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities to climate change in Chimanimani District project, implemented by Development Aid from People to People Zimbabwe (DAPPZ) in partnership with Civil Society in Development (CISU) through UFF-Humana, will target 1,000 smallholder farmers and their families in wards 13 and 21 in Chimanimani District.
The project seeks to promote climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, and biodiversity, as well as strengthen the transformative capacities of the community and local authorities to adapt to climate change. It will also enhance market linkages for smallholder farmers and promote evidence-based advocacy and cross-learning among stakeholders.
Chimanimani District is one of the areas most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change in Zimbabwe. The district has experienced a surge in climate-related disasters, including Cyclones Idai and Freddy, floods, and droughts, which have inflicted severe damage to infrastructure, agricultural livelihoods, and human settlements.
The project is expected to contribute to strengthening the partners’ efforts to build adaptive capacity to climate change among the local population, strengthen their resilience to climate shocks, and enhance the community’s advocacy abilities.
“We are committed to supporting vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe to adapt to the impacts of climate change,” said DAPP Zimbabwe Programs Director Ruth Makumbe. “This project is a testament to our partnership with CISU through UFF Humana and our shared commitment to creating a positive impact in the lives of smallholder farmers and their families”.
The project is funded by Civil Society in Development (CISU) and is expected to run for 24 months.
My name is Varaidzo Makotose and I am a 63-year-old widowed lady with six children, three of whom are adults and three still in school. I reside in Ward 12, Chivi District, Masvingo Province, an area that is naturally dry as it falls in natural Region 4. Despite the challenges of dry climatic conditions in Chivi, I have always been fascinated by farming as a business. In 2021, I enrolled in Farmers’ Clubs Chivi being financially supported by GAIA USA to increase my knowledge. I participated in climate-smart agriculture practices, financial literacy and market linkages facilitated by DAPP in collaboration with AGRITEX.
DAPP supported me and other smallholder farmers with smart agriculture training and then supplied us with garden inputs start-up packs. I started applying concepts like mulching, organic manure, crop rotation and natural pesticides which improved my garden productivity significantly. Before, I used to sell a maximum of 10kgs of vegetables per week which has now grown significantly to 60kg realizing $60 monthly income.
I sell vegetables to walk-in customers at the garden and sometimes put up stall at Chivi growth point during open local market sales days. I have started discussing with Chibi and Berejena boarding high schools to supply them with vegetables.
By diversifying my crops, I have reduced dependence on a single crop and increased resilience to market fluctuations. With my profits, I am now able to pay my children’s school fees on time and purchase extra food items like cooking oil, sugar and supplementary mealie-meal since our 2023-2024 field crop production was affected by cyclone El Nino-induced drought.
My name is Sophia Makanyanga (47) and I am a smallholder farmer based in Mvere C village in Ward 19, Mutasa district. As a smallholder farmer, I faced numerous challenges in accessing capital to grow my business, despite my enthusiasm for entrepreneurship, financial freedom and improved economic status.
However, my life took a turn for the better with the introduction of the Farmers’ Clubs concept by DAPP Zimbabwe with financial support from GAIA USA in 2021. The project brought a wealth of knowledge on smart agriculture, vegetable production, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. I was further introduced to the concept of Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) groups, aimed at empowering women and smallholder farmers like myself.
Initially, I was skeptical about pooling resources and unsure about the club life promoted by DAPP. I struggled to make ends meet and my entrepreneurial spirit was hindered by limited access to capital. However, after understanding the benefits of club life, I became one of the founding members of the first ISAL group in our area consisting of 15 people.
I used income from selling garden vegetables to pay the $20 joining fee. With guidance from an extension officer and DAPP field officer, Calvin Guruve, I gained the confidence to start with locally available resources. Our ISAL group, with a guiding constitution and committee agreed that each member would contribute $10 a month and could also borrow money at a 10% interest rate. I borrowed $70 to start vending clothes and persevered increasing my garden production to raise enough income to cover the monthly interest.
By year-end, our group had raised USD $2,000 which was shared equally among members. I used my share to buy irrigation pipes, making it easier to water my garden. I am thrilled that our group remains intact and thriving providing a sustainable source of financial support for farmers like me. Through this experience, I have learnt the value of collective action and access to affordable credit in overcoming financial barriers as a smallholder farmer.
