1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION –A SOLUTION TO THE GENDER DISPARITY IN ZIMBABWE BY INTELLIGENT BUSINESS CONSULTANCY
DATE: 14th MAY 2015

2. About Intelligent Business Consultancy
IBC is a business consultancy and financial services firm registered with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe as a microfinance institution and is also a member of the Zimbabwe Association of Microfinance Institutions (ZAMFI) the SME Association of Zimbabwe.
It provides business consultancy and financial services to entrepreneurs and individuals with a purpose of providing business, social and financial solutions to the micro, small and medium enterprises.
Since January 2013, the company has disbursed 377 loans to SMEs ,to the value of USD289, as at 31 July 2014 from private personal capital invested by the owners.

3. The Entrepreneurship and Financial Education Proposed Program-Context of Zimbabwe
About 60% of the Zimbabwean population live in the rural areas .
Women constitute a higher percentage of this rural population with very low levels of literacy (educational and financial)
Majority of Zimbabweans are forced into SMEs and the informal sector due to many company closures and retrenchments.
85% of MSME owners do not borrow from any financial institutions due to fear of failing to pay back. An estimated 24% of the country’s US$10,81 billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remains largely unbanked.
Source: Finscope Survey ( 2011,2013), World Bank Stakeholder Consultative Workshop (July, 2014)

4. Problem….
Living standards in Zimbabwe have continued to go down during the pre and post dollarization era with financial illiteracy in the peri-urban and rural communities rising, especially among the women population.

5. Target Group
Women and youth in peri-urban and rural areas

6. Program Objectives
To encourage and nurture a culture of entrepreneurship among women and youth in Zimbabwe.
To improve living standards of women and youth through financial education and entrepreneurship training.
To increase financial literacy among the rural women and youths in Zimbabwe
To develop and support new entrepreneurs through structured training programmes
Advocate for financial capability through education as an essential life skill from an early age through the integration of financial education into the formal curriculum at schools and higher learning institutions.

7. Solution and Call To Action
The Solution
The entrepreneurship development and financial education program seeks to instil the entrepreneurship spirit for empowering business growth for the women and youth entrepreneurs to enhance sustainable incomes and financial literacy.
To provide entrepreneurship training and financial education to women and youth , fostering business growth, opportunities for wealth and employment creation.
The programs therefore seeks, support in business development services, networking support and resource mobilisation to realise its objectives.

8. Proposed Key Partners Ministry of SMEs and Development
Ministry of Women, Gender and Economic Empowerment.
Zimbabwe Youth Council
Institute of Youths of Africa
Financial Service Providers (Banks, MFIs, Insurance)
Econet Wireless, Telecel and Net-one(Mobile Services Companies)
Educational Institutions
UN Women
MASHAV
World Bank
Mustard Seed Consulting

9. Key Activities Stakeholder Consultations
Program Curriculum Development
Program Staff training
Training of Trainers
Road Shows and Radio Campaigns
Procurement of Materials and Equipment
Mobile training in the communities
Monitoring and evaluation

10. Gender Mainstreaming Component
Women in communities to set out their own training times
Work with school leavers and University students in demonstration workshops for the youths
Have more women trainers on the training teams for the community women
Visiting successful women entrepreneurships in the local communities
Use of women visuals in awareness and campaign materials
Use of a woman’s voice at our automated call center

11. Proposed Budget Component Costs Project Staff 25,000
Travel & Subsistence (workshops, meetings, surveys, M&E)
10,000
Training of Trainers
Training of Government Support staff
5,000
Training equipment ( overhead projectors, business starter kits, stationery, 3 Computers, etc)
50,000
Vehicles and accommodation material procurement (2 mobile training Vans , camping materails)
80,000
Technical Support Costs and Consultants
General Operating Expenses
Program Awareness
10 ,000
Total
2000,000

12. Action Plan-Working Methods
Mobile training vans into the communities
Adult Learning Principles (ALP)
Experiential Learning Cycle (ELC)
Public Forums
Financial Incubators

13. Proposed Action Plan-Working Methods

14. Working Methods

15. Work Plan Activity Awareness & Inception Meetings-lobbying efforts
Awareness & Inception Meetings-lobbying efforts
Conduct Market Research
Curriculum Development
Hiring and training staff
Communicate with potential clients in the community
Reviewing existing facilities and procurement of equipment
Radio Shows and Intensified Radio Advertising
Initiate Coverage with mobile van
Continue with radio advertising
Training for Entrepreneurship & Financial Education (TOT)
Training Leadership, Conflict resolution, financial management
Training in gender, nutrition, health and environmental issues
Entrepreneurship trainings
Financial Literacy Training
Monitoring and Evaluation

16. Monitoring and Evaluation
Number of Women trained
Number of Youths trained
Number of jobs created
% of jobs created
% of access to and use of financial services
Number of Savings clubs created
Sustainable businesses created after trainings
Number of businesses formally registered
% of women in jobs created
Number of trainings conducted per period

17. What has been done to date
Some of the company consultants have been trained in Financial Education for Youths and Adults by Microfinance Opportunities through its local partners.
The company has started group trainings for local vendors in simple business management and finance related matters and in turn provides trained groups with finance to finance their small businesses. To date about 8 groups have been trained and offered finance for their vending businesses
The company has partnered with IYA –Institute of Youths of Africa to enhance entrepreneurship training for the youths and the women in the local districts.

18. Contacts
GLADYS SHUMBAMBIRI CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER INTELLIGENT BUSINESS CONSULTANCY CELL: / OFFICE: WEB: SKYPE: intelbusconsultants