By Freeman Musikambesa
With 65% of Zimbabwe’s population under the age of 40, the nation’s future hinges on its ability to harness the energy, creativity, and potential of its youth. Yet, according to the ZIMSTAT and ILO report (2022), systemic formal unemployment stands at over 76% with the majority finding sanctuary in the informal sectors, all due to the shrinking of the formal job market that threatens to derail this demographic dividend. Enter the “Prosperity Catalyst Clubs”, an initiative by The Eastern Caucus, inspired by economist George Ayittey’s vision of empowering African youth through development economics and liberal ideologies. These clubs are not just platforms; they are launch pads for a generation poised to pivot Zimbabwe from poverty to prosperity.
The Youth Imperative
Zimbabwe’s unemployment crisis is a paradox: while the economy struggles to absorb graduates, industries remain starved of innovation. University students often scramble for scarce industrial attachments, only to find that even qualified professionals face stagnant wages. This reality demands a radical shift from seeking jobs to creating them. The Prosperity Catalyst Clubs, rooted in Ayittey’s advocacy for “indigenous solutions” and free-market principles, equip young leaders with the tools to build sustainable enterprises. By merging liberal economic theory with practical skills, the clubs reframe unemployment as an opportunity for entrepreneurial disruption.
In Buhera, 24-year-old Evelyn Tariga exemplifies this shift. After failing to timely secure an industrial attachment in Economics, she joined a Prosperity Catalyst Club and has already established herself as a staunch empowerment advocate and is working on launching a start-up upon completing her education. Like Evelyn, many youths are turning to sectors where demand outpaces traditional supply: agritech, renewable energy, and e-commerce. Yester year, industrial attachments, were once a gateway to employment, now offer limited prospects. Students now spend months applying for attachments, the club now offers a rare opportunity for them to take their destiny upon themselves.
Zimbabwe’s informal economy, which constitutes 60% of GDP, is fertile ground for innovation. The clubs train members to them to formalize informal ventures, access digital tools, and navigate regulatory frameworks. For instance, in Bulawayo, a club workshop on solar energy led to the creation of a youth cooperative installing affordable solar panels in off-grid communities—addressing energy poverty while generating income. Central to the clubs’ mission is dismantling dependency narratives. Drawing from Ayittey’s critique of “defective ideologies,” the curriculum emphasizes market-driven solutions, individual agency, and governance accountability. Members debate topics like deregulation, trade liberalization, and the role of SMEs in economic diversification. This intellectual foundation is paired with technical training in digital literacy, financial management, and business modelling.
The Eastern Caucus recognizes that systemic change requires coalition-building. Prosperity Catalyst Clubs are now present in 3 universities and communities nationwide, with plans to expand. Alumni networks, angel investor forums, and policy advocacy groups amplify their impact. Plans are at an advanced stage to for the clubs to lobby for tax incentives for youth-led start-ups that will see an effective engagement with a proposal to the government of Zimbabwe waive start up registration fees for under-35s.
Zimbabwe’s youth are not waiting for miracles; they are crafting their own. The Prosperity Catalyst Clubs channel their frustration into innovation, transforming idle potential into economic momentum. As George Ayittey urged, Africa’s future lies in “Cheetahs”—dynamic, pragmatic youth who leap over barriers. In Zimbabwe, these Cheetahs are coding, farming, and trading their way toward a prosperity revolution. The question is no longer if they will succeed, but how quickly the nation will rally behind them.