BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI– Eighty-nine youth across Eswatini have received tools worth E500 784 to help turn their technical and vocational skills into sustainable livelihoods, businesses and employment opportunities.
The equipment was handed over through the Eswatini National Youth Council (ENYC) TVET Support Programme at a toolkit award ceremony held at Metropolitan in Manzini on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The E500784 Government-funded intervention targets youth who already possess technical and vocational skills but lack the equipment needed to establish, operate or expand enterprises.
The 89 beneficiaries comprise 86 individual beneficiaries and two group beneficiaries, covering all four regions. The individual beneficiaries are distributed across Hhohho (18), Lubombo (25), Manzini (19) and Shiselweni (24), while the two groups are from Hhohho.
They represent trades including sewing, carpentry, electrical installation, welding, plumbing, motor mechanics, photography, upholstery and cellphone repairs.
Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima said the programme reflected Government’s commitment to creating opportunities for youth to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Today is about creating opportunities for young people to turn their skills into livelihoods, businesses and meaningful economic participation,” Nzima said.
He urged beneficiaries to regard the equipment as a starting point for building sustainable enterprises.
“These toolkits are a starting point, not the destination,” he said.
Nzima encouraged the beneficiaries to protect the equipment, provide quality services and practise sound business management, including keeping proper records, understanding costs and income, knowing customers and reinvesting in their enterprises.
He also urged them not to be discouraged by starting small, but to remain committed and continuously improve their services.
ENYC Chief Executive Officer Lwazi Mamba said the programme was created to address the gap between acquiring technical skills and having the equipment required to use those skills productively.
Mamba said approximately 25000 youth enter the labour market each year, while about 52 per cent of youth struggle to find employment opportunities, including some with tertiary qualifications.
He said TVET graduates were also affected by limited employment opportunities.
Mamba cited a 2019 study by Mgabhi and Mohammed that tracked TVET graduates between 2005 and 2017. The study found that 41 per cent were employed in the formal sector, 14 per cent were self-employed and 43 per cent remained unemployed.
He said the figures highlighted the need to support TVET graduates beyond acquiring technical skills.
“The TVET Toolkit Programme was developed from a very practical understanding of the challenges young people face after acquiring technical and vocational skills,” Mamba said.
The latest selection process attracted 443 applications between July 22 and 29, of which 442 were valid. Following an initial assessment, 237 applicants were pre-selected and 110 underwent field verification.
Mamba said the assessment considered vulnerability and need, technical readiness, enterprise viability, existing business activity, motivation and the relevance of the requested toolkit.
The process resulted in 86 individual applicants being recommended for support, alongside two group beneficiaries.
ENYC’s 2025 programme provided further evidence of the importance of monitoring support after distribution. The Council received 413 applications and supported 103 young artisans with toolkits.
Mamba said the Council’s track-and-verify exercise found that 61 per cent of the 2025 beneficiaries were actively using their toolkits and had employed one or more people, while at least 17 per cent had established active workshops and fully commercialised their businesses.
He said ENYC would continue monitoring the latest programme to determine whether the equipment was being used, businesses were becoming operational, beneficiaries were generating income and enterprises were creating opportunities for others.
Mamba also called on public and private sector companies to give young artisans opportunities to demonstrate their skills.
“Give them the opportunity to prove that they can add value to your companies,” he said, encouraging businesses to utilise artisans in trades such as electrical installation and plumbing under appropriate supervision.
He further appealed to financial institutions to provide affordable and youth-friendly financial services to help youth-owned enterprises grow.
The toolkit support is complemented by training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, record keeping, business management and responsible utilisation of the equipment.
Mamba said assessments had also identified further needs in customer management, marketing, digital business practices, occupational safety, equipment maintenance and business planning.
Nzima said the impact of the programme should be measured beyond the handover ceremony.
“Are the tools being used? Are businesses becoming operational? Are beneficiaries generating income? Are enterprises growing and creating opportunities for others?” he asked.
For the beneficiaries, the equipment now provides an opportunity to put their skills into productive work and build sustainable enterprises.
Nzima urged them to make the opportunity count, remain innovative and continue learning.
“We want to see young people who are not only looking for jobs, but who are also creating businesses, providing services and opening opportunities for others,” he said.
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