Many young people see the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Municipal Council of Mbabane and Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund (YERF) as a sign that youth development is being taken seriously at a structural and institutional level.
The general sentiment among the Mbabane youth is one of optimism, renewed confidence and cautious hope.
The two entities signed the MoU worth E480 000 for jobless youth. This was during the Youth Entrepreneurship Workshop aimed at equipping young people with practical business skills and insights from captains of industry on Friday.
The initiative will help empower young entrepreneurs as they navigate access to finance and other business-related challenges.
The MoU also aims to create unique job opportunities for 12 unemployed youth who will establish landscaping businesses; receiving up to E40 000 start-up capital each to purchase required equipment.
Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries Eswatini (YCCIE) Mbabane Chairperson Mzwandile Nxumalo said for a long time, the youth in Mbabane expressed frustration over limited access to resources, mentorship, funding and formal platforms to grow their enterprises.
READ MORE | Cost of living to remain stable through 2026
Nxumalo said the memorandum represented more than a document because it also symbolised access, inclusion and recognition.
He added that young entrepreneurs felt that their ideas, skills and innovations now had a clearer pathway to support and scalability.
“That said, the youth is also results-oriented. There is a strong expectation that this partnership will translate into tangible outcomes such as business incubation, access to finance, skills development, market access and the use of city spaces for youth-led economic activity.
“As YCCIE Mbabane Chapter, we view it as our responsibility to help bridge enthusiasm with implementation and accountability,” he said.
Nxumalo also noted that the YCCIE Mbabane Chapter currently has a growing base of registered members, consisting of youth entrepreneurs, freelancers, creatives and early-stage business owners operating within the capital city.
In addition to formally registered members, he said, they also engage with a wider network of youth-led enterprises and aspiring entrepreneurs who participate in their activities, consultations and programmes.
He said this reflected the reality that many young people were still transitioning from the informal to formal economy.
He further stated that their focus at this stage was not only on numbers, but on building an active, informed and collaborative membership that is ready to engage with opportunities arising from partnerships such as the Mbabane City–YERF MoU.
Nxumalo said Mbabane, as the capital city, presented several opportunities for the youth across different sectors including entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
He mentioned opportunities in retail, services, construction, food processing, creative industries and digital enterprises.
He highlighted that creative and cultural industries like music, film, fashion, visual arts, events and cultural tourism, especially as the city positions itself as a creative and cultural hub.
The chairperson reiterated the importance of public–private partnerships (PPPs). He said they had engagements with the municipality, development partners and private sector initiatives aimed at urban development and youth inclusion.
He noted skills development and innovation, stating access to training programmes, workshops, innovation hubs and digital skills initiatives driven by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government agencies and international partners.
“Emerging opportunities in waste management, recycling, urban agriculture and environmentally sustainable businesses speak to green and urban economy.
“There are also civic and economic participation platforms for the youth to contribute to city planning, local economic development (LED) and policy dialogue through structures like YCCIE,” added Nxumalo.
However, he said these opportunities required coordination, information-sharing and intentional inclusion.
“This is where YCCIE Mbabane Chapter plays a critical role; organising the youth, advocating for access and ensuring that young people are not just beneficiaries, but active economic actors shaping the future of Mbabane,” further stated Nxumalo.
