On the 9th of August 2025, Harare crackled with a new kind of energy. The Eastern Caucus (TECA), propelled by its pioneering Prosperity Catalysts Clubs (PCC) initiative and in powerful partnership with Students For Liberty Zimbabwe, hosted a transformative Youth Empowerment Forum bringing together 50 driven young entrepreneurs from Harare and surrounding areas, the event wasn’t just a workshop; it was the ignition point for a profound mindsets evolution and a bold declaration of economic self-determination. Central to the forum’s mission was the urgent shift from a culture of welfarism and dependency on handouts towards one rooted in productivity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit – the core philosophy driving the Prosperity Catalysts Clubs.
The TECA Founder Nyasha Freeman Musikambesa on the gathering articulated the critical vision driving the PCCs: transforming young mindsets from passive recipients to active creators of wealth. “Prosperity and growth are not abstract economic terms,” he emphasized, championing the move away from a culture of handouts towards a dynamic culture of “co-financing for prosperity.” This message resonated deeply, echoed by inspiring Students for Liberty alumni who urged participants to join the burgeoning movement and actively contribute to expanding the PCC network across the country. The forum provided a vital platform for young entrepreneurs to share experiences, shatter the stigma around starting small, and embrace the powerful call to action: “Start small and start now.”
The day culminated in a significant milestone: the official launch of the Prosperity Catalysts Lab. This innovative platform harnesses the power of peer-to-peer learning, where young entrepreneurs who have already embarked on their journeys will leverage their experiences and exposure to guide and support their peers eager to launch their own ventures. This practical initiative directly tackles the barriers to entry, fostering collaboration and providing real-world mentorship grounded in the PCC principles. Lively discussions, featuring young entrepreneurs themselves, underscored the vital link between economic freedom and success. Participants passionately defined economic freedom as “the ability to control your business without interference,” deciding boldly on products and pricing, a stark contrast to the constraints of dependency. Their courage to start, even with minimal resources, showcased the tangible potential being unlocked.
This Youth Empowerment Forum stands as a powerful testament to the catalytic force of the Prosperity Catalysts Clubs, a flagship initiative by the Eastern Caucus. Recognizing that Africa, with 67% of its 1.5 billion people under 40, is the world’s new prosperity zone, TECA is strategically investing in its most potent resource: its youth. The PCCs are not merely clubs; they are engines of national competitiveness. By systematically shifting mindsets from welfarism to productivity, empowering young entrepreneurs through practical labs and networks, and instilling the belief that “#IDEAS RUN THE WORLD”, TECA and its partners are actively breaking the cycle of poverty in communities across Zimbabwe. This grassroots movement, nurturing a wave of job creators and solution-builders, is a fundamental step towards realizing Zimbabwe’s ambitious goal of a $100 billion economy within ten years and ensuring the nation is primed to thrive within the #AfCFTA marketplace. The future is being built, one empowered entrepreneur at a time, and the Prosperity Catalysts are lighting the way.