Welcome to Junior Achievement Zimbabwe

Founded in 1919, Junior Achievement is the world’s largest and fastest growing not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and free enterprise. In 2016, over 10 million young people participated in JA programs in 121 countries across the globe.

Junior Achievement (JA) Zimbabwe is a private sector initiative and became a Member Nation of JA Worldwide (initially JA International) in October 1998. JA is registered in Zimbabwe as a not-for profit trust organization. In 2017, Over 50,000 young people participated in JA Zimbabwe programs. More than 400,000 young people, both in-school and out-of-school, rural and urban took part in JA programs in Zimbabwe since 1999.

Purpose and Mission

To prepare and inspire young people to value free enterprise, business, economics and entrepreneurship by helping them gain an understanding of,

• How business is conceived and run
• The role of business in a global economy
• The commitment of business to environmental and social issues
• The relevance of education in the workplace and
• The impact of economics on their future in order to improve the quality of their lives and the communities in which they live.

What we do - JA Focus Ares

Junior Achievement programs focus on seven key content areas, which are Business, Citizenship, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Ethics/Character, Financial Literacy and Work-related Life Skills/Career Development.

• Financial Literacy: Participants from Grade 5 students to young people up to age 35 are guided through understanding finance both for business growth and personal financial wellbeing. Age appropriate programs and activities are used to deliver this component.
• Work Readiness: Students in starting from Form 3 to recent university graduates are prepared for the world of worlk, through Career Fairs, Job Shadow and Internships. Work related Life Skills (Interpersonal Skills) are the bedrock of employability skills especially for college leavers who will be looking for a breakthrough into the world of work.
• Entrepreneurship: Through age appropriate programs, young people start and run a business either in school or in their homes and communities. Development from the JA Company Program where High School students start and run an actual enterprise and compete for the national company of the year (and then JA Africa Company of the year) the program is now popular with out of school young people. Business mentorship, business incubation, micro finance referrals and market linkages are critical component for young people out elps teenagers in Form 3 - 4 develop strong interpersonal skills.

How We Do It: Program Methodology

All JA programs are based on the concept of “learning by doing” and are a practical supplement to the academic studies offered in school curriculums. Programs are conducted by teachers, along with volunteers from the business community, who serve as leaders, advisors and role models to each class. JAZ volunteers come from all walks-of-life and include teachers, business people, entrepreneurs, consultants, Rotarians, college students, retirees, youth group leaders, international organization volunteers, and Junior Achievers.

Current Patners

JA Zimbabwe is funded through partnerships directly and indirectly by, Barclays Bank, Nedbank Bank, Coca Cola, Plan International, Porticus Foundation, Mimosa, Rotary among others.

Who we are - Jaz Board of Trustees

• David Birch, (Chairman) Principal Officer, Lloyds Insurance
• Dr. Charity Jinya, (Dedrey Mutimutema, Alt.) Managing Director, Nedbank
• Maggie Magadza, Managing Director, Ecument Investments P/L
• Jo Ann Ross, Retired, Publishing
• Job Torindoh, Managing Director, Mutare Garments Manufacturers
• Emily Nemapare, Head Corporate Communications, Barclays Bank Zimbabwe
• Fungai Makoni, (Theressa Gwainda, Alt) Managing Director, MIMOSA Mine
• Nigel Chanakira, Founder, Kingdom Financial Holdings
• Courage Shoniwa, (JA Alumnus, Finance Director, Minerva Risk Advisors)
• Phillimon Mlambo, Executive Director, Junior Achievement Zimbabwe