Taxilla American Uni win state Kudos

… For providing mentorship training to SME in in various business skills that will help grow the country’s business sector

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka (09-06-22 – Zambia24) – Taxila American University in conjunction with the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) today held a second successful mentorship training for Small Medium Entrepreneurs (SME) whose theme is unlocking digitization for SMEs in financing.
SME minister Elias Mubanga commended the Taxilla American University and the ZACCI for coming up with a mentorship program where SMEs are trained in various skills that will help grow the country’s business.
Mubanga told SME mentorship trainee when he graced the event that the government recognize the role SMEs play in the development of the national economy.
Mubanga said the improved SME will help the country to break the bridge and get the business to another level.
He said the mentorship program being conducted by Taxilla American University will unlock the opportunity the people have to grow their businesses.
He said the new dawn administration sees the SMEs not only as the backbone but also as the drivers of the national economy because it will allow the birth of unique breakthrough ideas.
He observed that for many years the SMEs have developed unconventional work methods and acts to drive the economic growth and opportunities.
He said the new dawn administration recognizes entrepreneurship as being at the heart of the local and national economic growth.
He said that is the reason why the SME ministry was created to foster and accelerate the growth of the SMEs and to give them affordable financing well as trying to as and give access to market
He said amidst all the unrest, challenges, and difficulties resulting from the waves of COVID-19 and the wars in Ukraine, the SMEs have been put on the shoulders of the wheel to survive.
He said upgrading the CDF from k1.6 to k25.5 million will be an addition to the growth of the SMEs in the country.
He assured the SMEs government continued support with cheap and affordable credit to their government to thrive as can be arrested to the increased CDF
He said the government is resolved to bring on board cooperation to help provide financing to the SMEs
He said the government is involved in the financing of SMEs because they face acute financial difficulties.
He said with the goodwill from the new dawn government, the cooperating partners will continue to offload cash to enable the business to thrive.
He expressed happiness that the people are responding well to the call to form cooperatives because of the rollout of the finances.
He said the training of the SMEs in various business skills will help to empower the business with the finances they need.
He encouraged everyone to access the empowerment by the government and cooperating partners as long as they are Zambians and are willing to ou be trained.
He also reminded the people that they cam storm get support through the citizen’s economic empowerment.
He said in the past, it was difficult for the SMEs to access funds but today thing is different because the money belongs to the people.
He urged the schools to decentralize the mentorship program to rural areas where many SMEs who lack technical know-how in business reside.
He said the local banks support the SMEs facing the challenges in their business and make their business more attractive to clients.
He said the banks use digital platforms as a means of payment for the SMEs especially those in rural areas.
He urged the beneficiaries of the mentorship program to actualize the lesson they are receiving from the two partners.
He Taxilla American University that the ministry SME will also be available to support those that are willing to grow their business.
He said the ministry has a solution to the challenges faced by the SMEs in their quest to grow their businesses.
Taxilla American University Chief Executive Officer Pankaj Maheshwariat said his organization will continue to partner with the government and ZACCI to support the growth of the businesses in the country.
Maheshwariat told the mentorship training participants that empowering SMEs with the right tools will help the country grow its economy to the desired level.
Maheshwariat said for Zambia to achieve meaningful development and economic sustainability will require SMEs that step empowered with skills and equipment.
He said knowledge is such a vital tool that the SMEs will require in their endeavor to execute their duties and it was against this background it has partnered with ZACCI to train SMEs.
He said the ongoing training process will provide an opportunity to enhance the knowledge in a particular field
He also disclosed that the school offers business courses apart from the ongoing medical courses being offered.
He said the school has a cohort of highly qualified and talented students in various fields.
He said SMEs are the drivers of the economy in any country hence the school has found it prudent to train the people that would like to venture into various business skills.
Meanwhile, ZACCI CEO Phil Daka said the program which started two years ago is handy to promote job creation and industrialization.
Daka disclosed that of the 96 registered SMEs in the country only 36 are actively contributing to the national economy.
He said that once SMEs are trained in various fields including business proposal writing, sourcing for funding, and how to grow the business, they will be motivated to contribute to the growth of the economy.
Without SMEs that form the bedrock of the economy, the country will not only be doomed but also orphaned in development.
He said the SMEs are motivated to grow to the top a situation he believed will lead to the growth of the economy
He advised the government to come up with a policy that will help SMEs to grow their businesses.