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Welcome to Junior Achievement Zimbabwe

The Junior Achievement franchise was brought to Zimbabwe in 1998 and officially registered as a Trust in October of 1999 which delivered programs to 19 schools in Harare, Kadoma and Bulawayo in that inaugural year. The organisation was helped to start by founder and inaugural Executive Director Debra Stinton Othitis.

Founding Board Members

The inaugural JA Zimbabwe board consisted of:

  • Roy Lander (Rio Tinto Zimbabwe) – First Chairman
  • Eric Bloch (Economist H&E Bloch & Company)
  • Nigel Chanakira (Kingdom Securities Holdings Ltd)
  • Tom F. Walter (Mobil Oil Zimbabwe) and JA alumni
  • Tsitsi Masiyiwa (Empretec Zimbabwe)
  • David Birch (Aon Minet Zimbabwe)
  • Danny Dube (Bard Discount House)
  • Graham Elston (CABS)
  • Peter Harding (Management Consultancy Services)
  • Wonder Z. Maisiri (Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce)
  • Edwin I. Manikai (Dube Manikai & Hwacha, Attorneys at Law)
  • Never Muzavazi (Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe Ltd)
  • Valentine Sinemani (Presentation Solutions)
  • Zachary Wazara (Econet Wireless)

JA Zimbabwe Programming in Stages

  • JA Zimbabwe officially started operations in 1999 through our signature program, the JA Company program. Programming began in Kadoma at Jameson High and Rimuka High 1 as a pilot. The pilot program was possible because of support from Rio Tinto Zimbabwe Ltd, Kadoma Fine Papers and the Stevenage Link Committee.
  • In 2000 JA Zimbabwe opened branches in Harare, Gweru and Bulawayo. In Gweru programming started at Thornhill High and Midlands Christian College.
  • In 2001 JA Zimbabwe launched the WK Kellogg Foundation sponsored LEAD program targeting 21 rural secondary schools in Chaminimani. This was the first of its kind whose aim was to develop tomorrow’s top flight industrialists, bankers and business leaders.
  • In 2003 the same programs as above were done in Bulilima-Mangwe turning out to be a very rewarding experience.
  • Maggi Magadza steered the ship from 2000 to 2005 and then handed over to Phil Mlambo who was Executive Director from 2005 to 2021. During the same period David Birch took over board chairmanship from Roy Lander.
  • From 2005 JA Zimbabwe’s strategy was anchored on improving the quality and reach of its flagship, the JA Company program, broadening its programming scope and expanding to cover out-of-school youth.
  • Allen Chinhanhu took over from Phil Mlambo in August 2021 with a mandate to navigate the organisation into the modern era.

JA Zimbabwe Partners since 1999

  • Rio Tinto Zimbabwe Ltd – partnering to deliver the inaugural JA Company program;
  • Kadoma Fine Papers – partnering to deliver the inaugural JA Company program;
  • Stevenage Link Committee – partnering to deliver the inaugural JA Company program;
  • WK Kellogg Foundation – partnering to deliver the LEAD and inaugural JA Company program;
  • Empretec – partnering to deliver the JA Company program;
  • Colorado Springs – partnering to deliver financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs;
  • Mobil Oil Zimbabwe – partnering to deliver business basics programs;
  • Aon Minet – partnering to deliver career guidance, financial literacy, employability and work readiness programs;
  • Econet Wireless – partnering to deliver financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs;
  • Central African Building Society (CABS) – partnering to the deliver the JA Company program;
  • Global Village – partnering to deliver financial literacy programs;
  • First Capital Bank (Barclays) – partnering to deliver the JA Company program, financial literacy, career mentorship and work readiness programs;
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  • Nedbank – partnering to deliver the JA Company program, career development and work readiness programs;
  • Standard Chartered Bank – partnering to deliver the JA Company program, financial literacy and work readiness programs;
  • Old Mutual – partnering to deliver financial literacy programs;
  • Mimosa Mining Company – partnering to deliver a financial literacy and career guidance programs;
  • Porticus Foundation – partnering to deliver the JA Company program;
  • Plan International Zimbabwe – partnering to deliver financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs;
  • Aflatoun International – partnering to deliver rights based approaches to programming encompassing financial literacy, ethics, SRHR and entrepreneurship;
  • USAID – partnering to deliver financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs.
  • Ernest and Young- partnering to deliver Be Entrepreneurial program.

Partners