Zambia Quick Win Measures for Job Creation Mobilised

The Zambia Government’s Quick-Wins on Job Creation programme, under the Industrialisation and Job Creation Strategy took a huge step forward with the handing over of a utility vehicle to the United Street Vendors Foundation Cooperative in Lusaka on Friday, 11 April 2014.

The vehicle was donated through a strategic Public Private Partnership of the UNDP’s ATMS/AMSCO Project and Southern Cross Motors. His Honour Dr Guy Scott, Vice President of the Republic of Zambia presided over the event.

Street vendors face a number of challenges that include limited business skills, inadequate vending infrastructure, limited access to finance, unhygienic operating areas and inadequate security among others. To address the challenges the Government of Zambia endorsed the Industrialisation and Job Creation Strategy in 2013 with quick wins that include supporting and creating jobs in the informal sector, particularly street based vending and informal businesses.

The Government sought the assistance of ATMS/AMSCO to participate in the development of the programme across the country, particularly targeting the youth, women, and entrepreneurs. ATMS/AMSCO will partner with the Ministry of Local Government and Housing and the Zambia Development Agency to conduct a Baseline Survey to inform Government of how best to deal with the challenges of street vendors and informal traders and provide management and technical solutions to the programme.

This programme speaks to the Government’s plan to create one million jobs, as well as the ideals of the UN Millennium Development Goal to eradicate poverty. Speaking at the handover ceremony, the CEO & Managing Director of AMSCO Paul Malherbe said “This programme with the United Street Vendors Cooperative will structure economic development of the street vendors in Zambia and will enable them in the next few years to change their lives towards prosperity.”

Malherbe further said he was certain that ATMS/AMSCO would be able to report back to Government on the successes of this partnership in the near future.

On handing over the Vehicle, Zambia Vice President, Dr. Scott, expressed his appreciation. “I am very grateful to UNDP and its Associate Partners, ATMS/AMSCO and Southern Cross Motors for supporting this initiative”. 
The Vice President stated that informal and street based vending is a sub sector with high absorptive capacity and potential for high and quick impact on income generation and poverty alleviation. He said their support is testimony that they share the vision for Zambia’s growth that will be achieved through employment creation, value addition and expanding Zambia’s economic base.