The Sunday Mail
Clemence Machadu Insight
Folks, we have very little to call our own, very little to show, because we invest very little towards innovation.Howdy folks!
The story of Pelagia Majoni inspires me a lot. The young girl represented Zimbabwe at the recently held Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles.
Pelagia presented an innovative project of a battery made from potato paste. The University of Arizona was impressed by her project and awarded her a scholarship.
Special mention also goes to my friend, Knowledge Chikundi, who is running the Zimbabwe Science Fair project that is mainstreaming young scientists and putting their inventions on international spotlight in order to tap into opportunities like these.
Folks, there are a lot of Pelagias out there — be it in the countryside kwaBenzi uko, or in the townships and everywhere else in Zimbabwe. NAll they just lack is adequate support and proper guidance to fully unravel their potential in a manner that benefits humanity.
Just imagine what Zimbabwe will be like if all that creativity is harnessed and channelled towards enhancing the economic activities of the different sectors of our economy!
The African Union has also come to the realisation that the solution to Africa’s problems lies in the hands and heads of the youth, which is why the continental block’s 2017 theme reads “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youths”.
President Mugabe prophesied about it in his speech at the 2011 United Nations High Level meeting on youths. At that meeting, President Mugabe said youth should be empowered so that they can play an integral role in the socio-economic and political affairs of their nations.
President Mugabe said: “It is of paramount importance that United Nations member states institute policies that will give proper orientation that will shape the youths to become responsible future leaders.”
I think the AU theme should carry more meaning in Zimbabwe where we have many educated youths who are not contributing much to the progress of the economy, save contributing to the growing economy.
They are just on the side-lines, idle and unemployed, with their degrees and certificates only serving the purpose of decorating their parents’ living rooms.
The only times when you hear some of our politicians seriously planning for the youth are times like these when the election season nears.
And the only plan they have is how to buy their votes with the usual election currency. Nothing serious after that. We don’t want youths to be only “employed” during election time.
Pamberi nemabasa kune vechidiki nguva dzese!
Folks, you may agree with me that in terms of the critical demographic mass that this population segment represents, the youth are really a phenomenal source of great potential and energy for development.
While our economy has been characterised by steady GDP declines since 2012 (reaching a seven-year low of 0,8 percent last year), with more solutions being sought on how to transform and rejuvenate our economy, it is very important to realise that Zimbabwe’s future will inexorably need a generation of innovative and creative young people.
It will also be equally important for Government to create a conducive environment that fosters cultivation of creativity and innovation by youth to enable them to optimally contribute to development and growth of our good nation.
The youth’s creativity is often abused for selfish reasons that do not transmit to the generality of the populace.
If youth are really the leaders of tomorrow, then they should be given real opportunities to vary variables in their brains so that they can start learning from their mistakes today and do the proper thing tomorrow.
Folks, we have very little to call our own, very little to show, because we invest very little towards innovation. Take for instance, the announcement by The Coca Cola Company to terminate its bottlers’ agreements with Delta Beverages.
What will happen to Delta if that sails through?
Look at the many international franchises that we use here in Zimbabwe, why can’t we create our own which we can then take to the world and accrue more value out of it?
While we are trying to control importation of goods to promote domestic industries, have we also considered the control of international intellectual property with a view to promoting our own knowledge systems?
I applaud Government’s efforts in establishing a Youth Innovation Fund that is providing loans to innovators, start-ups and entrepreneurs to promote the development of local ICT applications and related innovation rooted in the realities of Zimbabwe.
But there is certainly room for more, as this is only happening in one sector of the economy. What about real estate, forestry, manufacturing and other sectors?
While we have come up with Special Economic Zones to attract foreign investment, just imagine what would become of Zimbabwe if we also turned it into a Special Innovation Zone — the length and breadth of it!
There should actually be a well-funded National Youth Innovation Centre whose purpose is to promote radical and disruptive innovations for different sectors with a potential to turnaround the fortunes of this economy.
We can do it, just as Zimbabwean youngsters like Knowledge Chikundi are making breakthroughs in cancer treatment.
The initiative should just be administered by young people themselves to ensure they are supported to set up businesses with potential to become multi-million-dollar enterprises in future.
This is the missing link between our abundant natural resources and progress.
There is no platform for youths to test, refine and develop their ideas into tangible projects that meaningfully contribute to the economy.
But this is a noble way of accelerating progress in this country. The youths should wake up from their slumber and start taking action.
We have had enough of your creative jokes on social media, but we don’t joke away from poverty, do we? Now is the time to think about how to save the world in general and our Motherland in particular.
Later folks!
