Witness Ukama is an experienced global development, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship professional with more than 16 years of experience in building capacity and facilitating market-oriented entrepreneurship initiatives. He currently works at the Harare Institute of Technology. His expertise is broadly underpinned by a long-term understanding of entrepreneurship, international development, financial inclusion, agri-business, youth training, accounting and banking. Witness' mix of banking and lecturing experience, coupled with a wealth of global exposure helped him develop into a holistic, inclusive, effective entrepreneurship and financial inclusion professional. He has experience in all aspects of business formation and operation, including finance, technology management and commercialization.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Digital Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, Value Addition, Market Access Training for Small Scale Women Farmers

This project improved the livelihoods of 378 small-scale women farmers by providing them with a total of nine training sessions on digital entrepreneurship, financial literacy, value addition, and market access. Digital entrepreneurship and financial literacy training equipped women farmers with skills in online marketing, financial management, and record keeping. Value addition training provided hands-on experience to women farmers in processing farm produce to create new products for the market. The trainings were customized according to the farmers' needs to ensure maximum impact.

The project also focused on improving market access for women farmers by linking them with local and international markets through the use of digital platforms. The project created market linkages by facilitating direct contact between the farmers and buyers. This increased farmers' income and encouraged value addition, leading to a more sustainable livelihood. The project covered critical areas such as training on ideation, product, creation of export villages, development, marketing, finance, and networking using both online and face to face workshops. As a result of the workshops, women who previously faced various social and cultural barriers in their communities were able to challenge stereotypes and become leaders in their respective fields.

The project also had a ripple effect, empowering not only the direct participants but also other women in the communities who were inspired by their success. One participant shared, "The Financial Literacy workshop was extremely helpful in understanding how to manage our finances effectively and value our produce with the right prices. We are now able to keep proper records, budget our expenses, and make informed financial decisions."

"The Agri-preneurship training has been game-changing for us. We have learned how to effectively market our products online, attract customers, and grow our businesses through social media platforms." - Project Paricipant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Witness participated in the IVLP Project Science and Technology Entrepreneurship, organized by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education, in partnership with WorldOrlando, Michigan Council for Citizen Diplomacy, Global Ties Kalamazoo, and Global Ties San Francisco.

Witness' exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "I was inspired by my IVLP experience to create a Digital Entrepreneurship project for small-scale women farmers that would have a meaningful impact on my community and beyond. The connections I made with my fellow participants and the knowledge I gained from our meetings and site visits to Washington DC, Orlando, East Lansing, Kalamazoo and Silicon Valley fueled my desire to make a positive difference in the world."

U.S. Communities Visited

San Francisco, CA; Orlando, FL; East Lansing, MI; Kalamazoo, MI; Washington, DC

"Receiving the IVLP Impact Award is a validation of the hard work I put into my project and a reminder that the IVLP is not just a program, but a catalyst for real change." - Witness Ukama

Country: Zimbabwe 

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