ZNCC Manicaland Hosts Women Enterprise Awards Across 13 Categories

The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Manicaland Chapter is set to host the Women Enterprise Awards today, recognizing women whose entrepreneurial achievements, innovation and leadership are contributing to economic development across the province and beyond.

The initiative aims to honor female entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals who have demonstrated excellence in their respective industries. It also highlights their contributions to business growth, employment generation and Zimbabwe's broader economic transformation.

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, is expected to officiate at the event. ZNCC national president Josephine Takundwa will attend as the guest speaker, sharing the occasion with women leaders and entrepreneurs from across the region.

ZNCC Manicaland provincial manager, Nyasha Kahondo, said the awards have evolved beyond being a mere recognition ceremony into a platform that encourages networking, knowledge-sharing and business growth.

Key Highlights:

• ZNCC Manicaland Chapter hosts the Women Enterprise Awards
• The event features 13 categories across key economic sectors
• The initiative promotes women-led businesses, innovation and economic growth

“We have deliberately moved from simply handing out awards to creating meaningful opportunities for businesspeople to interact, exchange ideas and build partnerships that contribute to enterprise growth and economic development,” she said. This year’s edition features 13 award categories spanning key sectors of the economy, including mining, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, banking and finance, information and communication technology, health, construction, education and training, sports, exports and micro-enterprise development.

This year's awards are of special importance because they are connected to the ZNCC's national theme for this year, ‘From Resilience to Competitiveness: Charting a New Path for Sustainable Industrial Growth’.

Now it's about recognizing women who are not just coping with tough business times, but are growing their businesses, adopting technology and preparing themselves to be competitive in the long run, she said.

“What makes this year’s awards unique is that they are not merely celebrating resilience. We are recognizing women who are expanding their enterprises, adopting innovation and exploring new markets. These are business leaders who are actively contributing to industrial growth and economic competitiveness,” she said.

Indeed, Nyasha said that the business climate in Manicaland is still improving, owing to the relatively stable economic climate and policy interventions geared towards improving ease of doing business.

“We want the event to produce tangible outcomes. Beyond the celebrations, we are creating opportunities for women entrepreneurs to access financial solutions, digital tools and strategic networks that can help accelerate business growth,” she said.

She attributed the growing success of women-owned businesses in the province to a combination of determination, innovation and improvements in the operating environment.

“The women we are celebrating today have demonstrated resilience, adaptability and innovation despite challenging economic conditions. Their achievements reflect the strength and potential of women-led enterprises in driving economic development,” she said.

Nyasha noted that business confidence in Manicaland continues to improve, supported by a relatively stable economic environment and policy interventions aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business.

“The outlook for 2026 has generally been positive. Economic growth is projected to remain around five percent, while inflation has moderated significantly due to prudent monetary policies. This is creating a more predictable environment for businesses to plan and invest with confidence,” she said.

She said ongoing regulatory reforms aimed at reducing compliance costs and formalizing micro, small and medium enterprises are expected to unlock additional opportunities for entrepreneurs. “There is a strong national drive towards improving the ease of doing business and supporting enterprise development. As ZNCC, we continue engaging policymakers to ensure these reforms translate into real benefits for businesses operating in Manicaland and across the country,” she said.