Bridging Dreams, Building Futures
Zimbabwe’s development has long faced obstacles linked to Western economic sanctions, measures that many view as unjust or unlawful. Yet, despite these constraints, Zimbabwe remains a nation rich in natural resources and endowed with a highly educated population, with its youth standing out as a particularly dynamic force.
ChinAfrica spoke with Monica Mpambawashe, executive editor of Zimbabwe Now, to learn about the growing influence of young Zimbabweans in shaping the country’s future. In the conversation, she highlights how youth are driving innovation and launching new enterprises in the face of adversity, how they view opportunities for international cooperation, and the crucial role the media can play in amplifying youth voices and supporting their development.
ChinAfrica: Against the backdrop of ongoing economic challenges in Zimbabwe and around the globe, how do you view the growing drive among young Zimbabweans to pursue local entrepreneurship and innovation? What role can China play in shaping or supporting this momentum?
Monica Mpambawashe: Zimbabwe’s economic difficulties - from hyperinflation and foreign exchange instability to limited opportunities in the formal labour market - have fuelled the rise of one of Africa’s most dynamic informal economies. The IMF estimates that more than 80 percent of the country’s workforce now operates in the informal sector, with an increasing share made up of youth-led micro-enterprises and digital start-ups.
Against this backdrop, it is little wonder that young Zimbabweans are no longer waiting for traditional employment to appear; they are creating their own pathways. Across fintech - including services modelled on EcoCash and other mobile-based micro-lending solutions - as well as agribusiness, digital design, and even AI-enabled services, young innovators are building businesses that go far beyond survival. This shift from day-to-day hustling to more structured, growth-oriented entrepreneurship reflects a profound transformation in mindset.
China can play a significant role in sustaining this momentum in two major ways. First, through technology transfer and skills development. Initiatives such as the Belt and Road Science and Technology Cooperation framework and the Luban Workshops - including the recently launched workshop at the University of Zimbabwe - offer valuable opportunities to close digital and technical skills gaps.
Second, China can help to open doors to capital and global markets. Platforms like Alibaba’s Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) have already piloted export pathways for African SMEs, and youth-led Zimbabwean brands could benefit from similar support. What remains essential is greater awareness and outreach so that young entrepreneurs know these avenues exist and can take full advantage of them.
How do you assess recent China-Zimbabwe engagements under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and broader China-Africa cooperation, especially in education, science and cultural exchange?
Since Zimbabwe joined the BRI in 2018, China has emerged as Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign direct investment and infrastructure finance, accounting for over 70 percent of new infrastructure deals from 2019 to 2023, according to SAIS-CARI data. The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority recently revealed that the Chinese-funded Hwange Units 7 and 8 are contributing about 50 percent of local power generation.
Besides infrastructure projects, the China-Zimbabwe partnership is also growing in several other areas. In education, over 500 Zimbabwean students are studying in Chinese universities on scholarships, according to China’s Ministry of Education (2024 data). This is in addition to educational infrastructure development, such as 17 schools built across the country and other projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises and individuals. There are also local scholarships ensuring hundreds of children remain in school for basic and tertiary education.
Cultural exchange platforms like the Chinese Bridge Competition and Confucius Institute are facilitating mutual language and cultural appreciation. Many schools have incorporated Chinese language studies into their curricula. The Chinese medical teams stationed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals work tirelessly to bring quality medical attention to some of the most disadvantaged citizens.
While China has given aid to Zimbabwe through acts such as rice donations during drought periods, it is crucial to note that most of its efforts are focused on empowerment. For example, boreholes in dry areas mean that villagers can improve nutrition through gardens, and the time and energy saved each day in procuring water can be directed towards productive endeavours instead.
Cultural and scientific exchange programmes have strengthened ties between Zimbabwean and Chinese youth. How can these cross-border interactions help young Zimbabweans to redefine local identity while driving social change?
Cross-border exchanges, ranging from scholarship programmes to joint art exhibitions and startup boot camps, are reshaping how young Zimbabweans define what is “local.”
Interacting with peers from China and from across Africa helps challenge inherited colonial narratives about Africa’s place in global innovation. For example, the China-Africa Youth Festival and forums on peace and development provide safe spaces to discuss identity, inclusion and agency.
Exposure to Chinese values, such as self-discipline, long-term planning and communal prosperity, encourages Zimbabwean youth to balance Ubuntu with strategic pragmatism. Through engaging with Chinese young people who take pride in their identity, Zimbabwean youth are developing a more pan-African yet globally competent sense of self.
With new platforms like the Asia-Africa Innovation Cooperation Centre emerging, how can Zimbabwean youth take more active roles in cross-border collaboration and combine local resources with global opportunities?
This new platform, launched under the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Initiative, is designed to turn knowledge into cross-border ventures. Zimbabwean youth can plug into this by forming innovation clusters around comparative advantages (e.g., smart agriculture, lithium battery processing, or creative tech).
They can also use land and mineral rights as leverage. Many young Zimbabweans are heirs to land, including rural free holdings, but lack the technical and financial capacity to unlock its value. Chinese partnerships could bridge that gap via equity-sharing, not debt.
Leveraging digital bridges through platforms like Douyin/TikTok, Alibaba, or WeChat Pay could open direct-to-China consumer access for fashion, crafts, music, or food.
But there is a need for strong institutional support and a startup-friendly regulatory environment, which remains a challenge. Information and access should filter beyond government-to-government level and go directly to the grassroots.
