Good day good people. This is a message from one of our brothers, let’s help him out ideas. This is his problem:

I need some business advice from the forumites. I have saved $600 and would want some advice on the best way I could use it to generate interest. What are the available business ventures that I can embark on that will also give a healthy return on my investment/savings?

Thank you in advance.

Ad Mire Prime Makusha selling bulk fish in places like Bulawyo, Gwanda etc can generate %20 return a week after costs thats $120, i think that is fair inbox me if you want to know more

Connie Kudzai Sango it depends also on your location. Fish farming is coming up too. you can start with just one pond and then grow from there

Mai Anashe Tagwirei yes, lake harvest is selling fish $55 for 1000 fish

Justice Magagani Anita any idea how long it takes to get the fish upto harvest? what type of fish do they have? cost of feed from start to finish dazzle us with knowledge my dear?

Richard Chashamba Ad Mire Prime Makusha please go deeper on the fish in terms of source, costs, transport, market etc

Pataida Denise Jaji start perfumery 300 percent profit,/week Open cheque

Yusuf Dulana Go deeper on perfumery pj

Pataida Denise Jaji @yusufu 4000r makes400 bootrles of 30mls of generic perfume oil based ,cocom, lady m,millions man etc

Pataida Denise Jaji myself l went to school and am doing great, git the Mannual WTh every detail that uncludes roll on making, lition making and the suppliers of chemicals, was thinking if l find ten people vane hasha we do the 10ml one dollar deak ceate our Iwn network system just like Avon, avaroy Shlain, Angel,WTh network system we make a lot of money myself am selling the, 10mk @76c stock price the demand is higher than supply lbcant meet the orders t, myself

Pataida Denise Jaji myself l went to school and am doing great, git the Mannual WTh every detail that uncludes roll on making, lition making and the suppliers of chemicals, was thinking if l find ten people vane hasha we do the 10ml one dollar deak ceate our Iwn network system just like Avon, avaroy Shlain, Angel,WTh network system we make a lot of money myself am selling the, 10mk @76c stock price the demand is higher than supply lbcant meet the orders t, myself

Christo Zuk U saved that money wth a target and aiming 4 something. Firstly wat z that u were aiming for?

Rawlings Kofi You can join Rabbit Breeders and Producers Association for training, development and market for rabbits.

Kudzanai Tsatsire it takes time to build and secure wealth especially from as little as 600. My advice, save a bit more and decide wat type of business you want to venture into. that savings is hard I guess so rather choose a less volatile market to invest in but in any business low risk low returns. if you require a stable establishment that MAY grow over time then I think you might need a solid business plan and use that $600 for the costs you can not offset while seeking other investors.

What made China the world’s factory? What made India the world’s technology hub? What made Israel a leading innovation centre? Connecting with their diasporas in the United States.

Today the world is more globalized, interconnected and interdependent than ever before. The recent economic crisis that has been besieging the world shows us that is it no longer possible for any nation state to consider itself an ‘island’, nor is it possible to be immune to the ebbs and flows of global economics.

In order to be able to fully leverage this globality, it is essential that countries design and implement comprehensive diaspora strategies for engaging with their global citizens and friends. The size of a country’s populace can no longer be calculated within the contours of its borders, rather it must be viewed through the global lens of migration

diaspora.’ As noted by Dolman ‘The past few decades have seen rapid growth in the movement of goods and factors of production. The volume of international trade grew twice as fast as world output during the 1990s and the volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) grew twice as fast as trade. Economies are rapidly integrating and becoming more closely dependent upon each other. The international movement of people is an important feature of this integrated global economy and encompass those who are defined as ‘the diaspora.’ As noted by Dolman ‘The past few decades have seen rapid growth in the movement of goods and factors of production. The volume of international trade grew twice as fast as world output during the 1990s and the volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) grew twice as fast as trade. Economies are rapidly integrating and becoming more closely dependent upon each other. The international movement of people is an important feature of this integrated global economy.’

Considering the diaspora as a national asset is certainly not a new phenomenon. Diaspora strategies that extend across a range of social, cultural, political, educational and financial dimensions are now being implemented by both developing countries and developed countries, including New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Ireland and India, to name but a few.

Boyle and Kitchin define a diaspora strategy as ‘an explicit and systematic policy initiative or series of policy initiatives aimed at developing and managing relationships between homelands and diasporic populations. These policy initiatives vary from highly formalized and structured programs to projects that are quite light in conception and application. A diaspora strategy is perhaps best thought of then as an overarching framework for providing a level of coherence to the range of diaspora policies devised and implemented by a variety of agencies.’2 Although there can be many facets to a country’s diaspora strategy, it can be said that, by and large, countries tend to pursue similar initiatives, with much in common in terms of philosophy and approach but there is no ‘one size fits all’ diaspora strategy. Obviously countries differ greatly in terms of their macroeconomic circumstances, the history of their diaspora, their size, geography and general resources to successfully pursue a diaspora strategy. Also, as many of these initiatives have been enacted recently it is too soon to assess them fully. Moreover, it has been purported that ‘many diaspora programs are ‘living dead’ – they are not failures and they generate enough interest to maintain their funding, yet their development impact is very limited.’3 However, the fundamental difference between those countries that will ultimately succeed and those that will fall short of expectations lies in one thing only – excellence in execution.

Understanding the basics

Who?: Governments around the world should begin to think about their diasporas in new ways and seek to build mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships with them. Rather than viewing them as being ‘lost’ to the homeland, they can re-engage with the homeland through strategic diaspora initiatives such as formal mentoring programs, investment and trade programs, and cultural initiatives. They do not need to return in order to make a difference.

Why?: Global diasporas constitute an obvious collective of people through whom networks can be created and individuals mobilized for mutual benefit of both diasporas and the home country.

How?: Global diasporas serve as an important conduit, facilitating the two-way flow of capital. That capital presents itself in every form be it human, social, intellectual, cultural or financial. Looking at capital flows alone, the transfer of funds in the form of remittances, bonds, philanthropy or business investment is massive by any scale, and growing.

*Information Obtained from the Global Diaspora Toolkit by Kingsley Aikins and Nicola White. We will be summarising chapters  from this toolkit every Thursday Evening.

So this evening we talk to a top model, a ZBIN member based in India, she will tell us about business in India, the cost of living, her modelling career and possible business opportunities in India for our readers. A rare opportunity to interview a ‘Beauty with Brains’ member of the forum. In the next 2 weeks she is going to form and lead the ZBIN Beauty Products and Modelling Group.

Before you start an egg laying business, you have to decide how many layers you want to keep, where you are going keep them, and your target market. The number of birds you keep will depend on the amount of land and capital you have, and also the size of your target market. You should always carry out a feasibility study, market research and write a business plan before you venture into any business.
Do not make the mistake of starting a layer business or any other business just because someone is doing it and he/she says it’s profitable.

*What you need:*

*Land, Housing and Equipment*
This is a very important factor to consider. It will determine whether you succeed or not in the layer business. The kind of housing you need and the size of the land will depend on the size of your layer project. An ideal poultry farm should be sited where there’s a large availability of cheap land and at the same time should be close to your market. Chicken layers cannot adjust well to temperature extremes, so it is very important that chickens be housed, cared and provided with an environment that will enable them to maintain their thermal balance. The right housing should have proper ventilation and the right lighting. Ventilation is necessary so that adequate air exchange can take place. Lighting stimulates hens to lay eggs. If you want to produce eggs year-round, you will need to install adequate lighting in your facility.
Layers need a certain minimum space and convenient place to grow well, otherwise if the space is not enough they may suffocate to death, which will be a great loss to your business. You should allow at least 0.15 square metres per bird, which may be covered with clean straw, wood shavings, or sawdust. Your housing can be barns, layer cages, chicken runs or hutches. The cost of construction depends on the size. You should have equipment including feeders, drinkers, lighting system and waste disposal system. You will also need chicken layer nests for the layers to lay eggs. If you purchase layer cages as housing for your layers, the layer cages will already have the laying nests, feeders etc.

*Point of lay chickens/Layer chicks*
Chicken Layers start to lay eggs at about 19 weeks of age. You can buy layer chicks and feed them till they are 19 weeks, or the more popular option of buying them when they are at the point of lay i.e. at 19 weeks of age. It is very important to buy high quality point of layer chicks, which are vaccinated; otherwise your layers will have a low rate of egg production and a high mortality rate. It is recommended to buy layers from well established companies like Novatek and Irvines. The average price of each point of lay layer is $11.

*Layer feeds*
It is very important to give the layers the right feeds, and the right quantities, so that they grow well and have a high egg production rate. The type of feeds you choose will determine the success of your business. It is recommended to use the feeds which are sold by the company where you bought the point of lay chickens from. You will have to feed the birds according to the specific instructions on the packet of the feed. The type of feed also depends on the housing, season and age of the layers.
Management and

*Labour*
The number of staff you will need depends on the size of your poultry project. If you are keeping 50 birds at the back of your house you may not need an employee as you and your family will take care of the birds. On the other hand, if you have a poultry farm you will need dedicated staff to look after the birds, and to manage the business. You need good management skills and technical knowledge of layer rearing techniques if you want to be profitable. Do your research, and train those who are working for you.

*Capital*
The amount of capital you need will depend on the scale of your project, location of your farm, and the type of management technology you are using. A small scale being production being run behind your house may require a capital of between $700 and $2000. A medium scale farm may require between $2000 and $10 000, while a large scale egg production business will require a startup capital of more than $10 000. Some companies like Novatek will give you everything you require to start the layers business on credit, with 0% deposit if you are a civil servant.

*Market*
Before you start the egg laying business, you should define the market you are targeting. For small scale production, you can sell to those in your neighborhood, by simply putting a “Eggs for Sale” sign at your gate. The market price for eggs in Zimbabwe is $1 for 6. For medium to large scale production you can supply to supermarkets, tuckshops, schools, vendors etc. If you have good networking skills it will be very easy for you to market your eggs.

~_For similar articles on how you can start cattle fattening,piggery,roadrunners,peanut butter making,reselling of cattle, broilers and also some unlimited farmhand books on all livestock,poultry,crops,fruit trees and a lot whole other farming staff …simply log in at farmhandbooks@gmail.com

Abigail Tendai Moyo Mdala waRue you are a blessing to this group, your posts are informative and very helpful.thank you we appreciate all your hard work.

Rejoice Moyo How much is a layer cage?

Claris Takawira Layer cages $350 for 96 birds and $180 for 48 birds.

Claris Takawira Opherclem ,Willowvale,Harare near Eaglesvale School.

Ngonidzashe Rumhungwe where can l get the cages

Claris Takawira Phone 0772867140 thus the company.

Claris Takawira No l bought my cages there.

Ngonidzashe Rumhungwe ok And how is it going

Claris Takawira Good

Did you know that when you visit in Mutoko the hosts will offer you drinking water? As a visitor you are supposed to drink the water and not turn down the offer. Turning down is a sure way of being rude. Culturally you are expected to drink the water.

Akomana here, this practice has lived for hundreds of years and  has been successfully passed on from generation to generation. Unfortunately it has not been captured in business books. Fabulous business lesson from Mtoko and its wonderful people.

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So we continue with our programme of unlocking business opportunities for our members. ZBIN does not promise anyone any monetary returns, we however promise you detailed business information that will help you in decision making. This morning we talk to one of our Business Admin, She as an active Watsapp Admin for our various business groups such as Baking, Human Resources and the Mozambique Business Opportunities groups.

Below are some of the questions that I posed to her and her responses.

How long have you been living in Canada?

I have been in North America for 17 years. Six of those where in the USA. But only three months in Europe, Germany, on a scholarship.

How is the weather in Canada, have heard that its extremely cold?

Canada has 4 seasons but three predominant ones. Coast to coast has different weather patterns/ The summer can get quite hot with temperatures going up to 36 or 39Degrees Celsius. Winters are also cold depending on the region. In the northern territories winter temperatures, can get to -50Degrees Celsius. But on average winter temperatures are anywhere between -15Degrees Celsius to 10 Degrees Celsius.

Coast to coast winters are characterised with snow, ice and rain. Snow levels can reach 5- 10 metres in some cases. In winter the sun goes down around 4 pm and comes out around 8pm.

However, while this might sound scary, Canada has some of the best winter clothing worldwide. If you dressed correctly for the outside you will hardly feel anything. Indoors houses are heated so the chances of feeling cold are minimal. The body has a remarkable capacity to adjust to the weather.

Zim Community, is there a big Zim community in Canada?

Yes there is a big Zimbabwean community spread out in popular provinces where there are jobs such as Alberta and Ontario. The most popular cities being Toronto or Edmonton. However more Zimbabweans are venturing out to the Northern remote parts of Canada

Tell us about education for kids, is it expensive?

Canada has an excellent public education system. The Prime Minister’s children go to public schools. Education is very free and state of the art with smart board, smart pads etc. Kids receive homework online and all kids have school email accounts. They have virtual classrooms with their teachers for homework and revision. College and university is not free but each province has different rates. The students have access to grants and loans and these are available until they complete whatever level of education they want. A Canadian education is acceptable anywhere in the world.

Cost of living, how is it?

Canada is a bit more expensive than the USA but cheaper than the UK in terms of housing. Plus, our standard of living is higher than the UK and US. Canadians have good work times and hours. Parents have maternity vacations for both husband and wives. Pensions and retirement plans are available.

Healthcare is free from maternity to cancer surgeries or treatments. Name the issues you get treaed for free. Jobs for professionals are highly rewarding with popular jobs being in teaching, nursing and social work. Finance jobs are also popular as well as energy jobs. Artisan jobs are indeed very popular. Economic resistant jobs are in the social and nursing fields and if you want to go out to serve the remote communities you get very good packages. The remote communities being NorthWest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut.

Which other African communities dominate the immigrant communities in Canada?

Anywhere you go in the UK, US, and Australia perhaps, the biggest African communities are West African and Eastern African namely Nigerian, Ghanaian and Kenyans, Somalians and Ethopians.

Which cities do you recommend for first time immigrants?

Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton

Five good things you like about Canada?

1.Safe. Can sleep with door unlocked and keys in the car. I am speaking from experience!. 2.Family friendly. There are plenty of vacation and holiday spots that are affordable. Plus work schedules are not horrible like the UK and US.

2.Family friendly. There are plenty of vacation and holiday spots that are affordable. Plus work schedules are not horrible like the UK and US

3. Education opportunities: you can advance as far and as wide as you want to go

4.Business and work opportunities: when you think outside the box, the sky is the limit

5.Strong economy and policies. Canada is safe foe everyone 51/2. Friendly people and not too much race issues

So there you are forumites, our Forum Admin is one helpful and friendly person feel free to add more questions and she will answer respond when free.

Twalumba

A website provides an instant visual presentation:

Not every organization can afford television advertising, but a website provides a visualization element and is always available to anyone with Internet access. If a customer has questions that can be better answered on a website than over the phone, this is a valuable asset to your marketing mix.

A website can be found through search engines:

There is a good possibility that you found this website through a search engine such as Google. Between 80-95 percent of all website traffic usually comes from search engines. You can target visitors who are actively looking for you, your product, your service, or your information. A website is an extremely cost effective way to advertise to those who are already interested in what you have to offer.

A website is always available:

No other medium for being available 24/7/365 even compares to a website. With the modest cost of developing a website and putting it online, there is nothing even close to being as cost effective. Printed materials are easily misplaced. TV and radio commercials air at preset times. A website can be visited at a time that is convenient for the visitor, and it is more engaging when designed correctly.

A website is interactive:

Even just a few years ago, most websites were nothing more than an electronic brochure. Their real potential was not being realized. That has now changed dramatically. Website visitors have the ability to control and interact with a well designed website. You can take a virtual tour, spin an object around to see all sides, provide direct feedback, and much more.

A website can target each visitor specifically:

Every visitor’s needs are met with an effective website design. With proper targeting, you have their attention because they are already interested. By strategically planning your website, you can customize each area to the type of website visitor who can benefit from it. It is even possible to customize web pages to individual users for added convenience.

A website is easily updated:

Unlike printed materials, websites can be changed on a minute by minute basis if needed. The expensive production costs of video, and the editing time needed for a good advertisement, make websites even more attractive. Plus, video can be provided on a website, and printed materials can be made available for instant download on a website.

A website saves on printing and mailing costs:

By making printed materials available on a website, it benefits both you and your website visitors. They have instant access so they do not have to wait for your mail to arrive, and you save on printing and mailing. Your website can have even more impact because you can illustrate things such as movements and animation that printed materials alone cannot show.

A website improves customer relations:

Aside from the fact that when a customer asks you for your website address, they expect you to have one, there are numerous benefits a website can offer to your customer relations. These are only a few:

• Customers can make an informed buying decision. If they are deciding between you and a competitor, your website could mean the difference between who gets the business.
• It also provides a way for customers to benefit after a sale. If you provide information or support through a website that makes them happier about buying from you, it strengthens your business.
• By providing an opt-in mailing list, your customers and website visitors will give you permission to contact them about special offers or additional things they may be interested in purchasing from you.

Credit to :http://cbscreative.com

zǎo ān – 早安.-Good Morning Dear forumites, 你好吗,  I hope find you well. Ok this morning we are going to discuss about 业务 (business) opportunities in China. We will bring an old post from our wonderful forum and please feel free to edit  or comment.

Linda Tandi Makini I buy lights and Toys 2dollars box

Ma Bla Kiva see wat I mean $2 a box,now wen selling in Africa one toy is $1 minimum

Ma Bla Kiva China is all about buying things for resale at home,to do business while you are based there requires a lot of capital and hard work,that’s why you find that the Chinese themselves rush to Africa coz there is a ready market for virtually anything that you can source from China ,given that you find the products very cheap there

Ad Mire Prime Makusha Harare to Guangzhou (Ethiopian, KLM, Egyptair, Air France, Emirates, Kenya) $643 Harare to Shanghai( Kenya, KLM, Air France, Emirates, Etihad )$986 Harare to Beijing ( Emirates, Air France, Egyptair, Etihad, South African, KLM, Ethiopian )$991.

Praise Chabona My friend goes to China every other month. She brings clothes, shoes, hand bags and travel bags…she doesnt have a shop or a flea market. Shop yake ibag rake

Miriam Biza Muringai Depending with when you book you can get a ticket to Gunazhou up to $900 or $1,400. you need to plan in advance. It is good to decide to know what you want to buy in advance so that you buy excess luggage in adavnce. If you do not doso you will be stuck because things in China are very cheap. You can find cheap hotels from abut $20 going up. Be very careful when changing your US you can get fake yuan. If its first time you need tow ork with about 7 days at least. Remember its just about 2 days going there and another 2 days coming back. There are so many markets you need time to compare prices and look around. Dont allow anyone to give you parcels at the airport on your way back you can be given drugs and the Chinese have very had laws if you are found in possession of drugs.

Tanya Sibanda Thanks for the info. What’s the minimum amount to carry if one wants to order beauty accessories?

Elizabeth Maziveyi there is also a good market for wood carvings (curios), African print material etc which can be sold at fairs. information about these fairs can be found on Chinese tourism website. good profit and very little hustle. gives u exposure as well to other markets that have goods at cheaper prices than shops. so u will be buying in zim and selling in China and buying in China and selling in zim. feel free to contact me for more info

Originally posted on Zimbabwe Business Ideas and Network Facebook Page in October 2015. Do you have up to date information about business opportunities in China? Then fee free to comment in the comments section below