Bulawayo Hub Offers Fresh Start For Returning Zimbabweans

By Andile Vundla | 2 September 2026

Bulawayo Project Centre has introduced a fast-track pathway to assess and recognise the skills of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa, as it seeks to help them establish sustainable livelihoods back home.

The initiative will allow returnees with trade experience to undergo skills assessment and certification, while also giving them access to subsidised business incubation space at the organisation’s Inkunzi Donnington Hub.

Speaking to journalists during the tour of Bulawayo Project Centre (BPC) facility in Cowdry Park, BPC Programs, Partnerships and Communications Officer, Tichafa Chiramba, said the initiative is aimed at giving returnees a platform to rebuild their livelihoods and integrate into the local economy.

“One of our targets for that centre has been the returnees from South Africa. We were saying that we can give them a foothold on which to stand as they try to find their way into the mainstream economy by offering them spaces where they can operate for a period of time,” he said.

Chiramba stated that the organisation is developing friendlier conditions for returnees, taking into account the circumstances they face when coming back to Zimbabwe.

The fast-track pathway will cover a range of trades, including motor mechanics, welding, solar installation, hotel and culinary studies, cutting and design, ICT and mobile-phone repair, and urban agriculture.

Returnees with practical experience, tools, savings or viable business ideas will also be able to access business incubation support aimed at helping them establish and formalise enterprises in Bulawayo.

Chiramba highlighted that the centre’s broader experience in vocational training and enterprise development places it in a position to support people seeking to become economically independent.

“It’s important to equip them with skills that will enable them to produce goods and services that people can actually buy,” said Chiramba.

He said the organisation does not want its intervention to end with training, but also seeks to provide practical support that allows beneficiaries to turn their skills into sustainable businesses.

“Along that technical skills training, we also come in and offer mentorship, starter kits, especially for young people who want to start their own businesses.”

The Inkunzi Donnington Hub is being developed as both a training facility and a business hub, with a particular focus on furniture manufacturing following the donation of equipment.

The centre is also exploring opportunities in emerging technologies, including electronics and information technology, while promoting environmentally friendly skills such as recycling and the use of recycled materials.

Chiramba added that the organisation’s experience since its establishment in 1993 has shown the importance of moving beyond short-term assistance towards sustainable livelihoods.

Bulawayo Project Centre has trained more than 20 000 people since its establishment, with beneficiaries acquiring skills intended to help them generate income and support their families.

The centre currently operates five hubs in Bulawayo, including Cowdray Park, Nketa, Njube, Thorngrove and Nkunzi-Donnington. It mainly targets young people aged between 18 and 30, while also providing livelihood skills to older community members