So this holiday I have all my kids at home, they have done well academically especially my first born who came top in five out of eight subjects, unbelievable stuff from my first born who is at a top high school in town where competition to get form one places was stiff with every kid required to have four points. We have a trophy and certificates to show for the academic prowess. I also have my second born who quickly adjusted to the new school we transferred her to; she came top in a surprise Maths subject, all along I had known her as a writer, a better writer than me because she produced a novel when she was in grade 5. I only started writing when I was in form 3 writing articles for publishing to the Sunday Mail Magazine and also editing the school unofficial tabloid. My third kid also surprised me with a top notch performance at the HICC where she was leading a school dance. This one is also promising to be a poet!
So here iam with brilliant kids and am wondering what they will be doing this holiday, we cannot afford to visit this holiday-money too tight to mention and worries of school fees next year are obvious. Now being business minded iam tinkering with the idea of developing their business skills at a young age. How about 2 or 3 projects where they will all put their efforts together and produce a business plan and implement it?
My story as a kid
I must say I was born an entrepreneur, being an innovative youngster together with my friends we never ran out of money. I remember with my friend Robert selling tomatoes and onions, we sometimes ventured into selling sweets. Our biggest and most successful project was going to the Warren Park Dumpsite where we picked some new small bandages. We sold the bandages in all schools in Warren Park and beyond-the project went viral. Looking at it back I get uncomfortable that we were involved in an unethical business project. The discarded bandages posed a serious health hazard to other kids who were our clients. As excited kids we sold the bandages to all kids in the suburb and few knew where we sourced them.
My primary school teacher Mr Kamudzandu also realised the entrepreneurial skills and gave me milk and maputi to sell to other students during break time-I was one of the best marketers at the school!
Fast Forward to Adulthood
Somewhere along the way I lost the entrepreneurial skills. I went to college and studied finance and then got a job immediately after college and have been working in various sectors with my key strength being in risk management. I only wonder what would have happened had someone noticed this talent and nurtured it? What if the local university had a program where they identified students with entrepreneurial talent and nurtured them? Your guess is as good as mine.
Why Entrepreneurship is Important for Kids
Looking at my history, I believe I wasted my entrepreneurial talent maybe on a good side the fact that I write and offer free business information to others compensates for that? What if at college we had a Prof in the mould of Mr Kamudzandu who could identify business talent and nurture it?
I firmly believe that kids should learn about business from an early stage, they do not need to be forced though; they don’t need to be pressured to be successful. Every holiday should involve fun, relaxation and some business project. They need to learn from an early stage how to manage business, basic financial literacy, how the world works etc.
The sad part is that few schools are covering the business side of education-I doubt whether universities have improved too. My late Prof Mutiti tried to bring some business here and there but it was strictly commercial law from him, other lecturers stuck to their subjects and never veered off radar to talk about entrepreneurship. Maybe there was no need for that because their mandate was to produce learned graduates who can become successful employees?
So the benefits of developing, identifying and nurturing the spirit of entrepreneurship at an early age for kids are plenty and include the following:
Risk taking skills -Developing self esteem-Decision making skills
Leadership skills-Global thinking-Trouble shooting skills
Finances and money awareness-Creative Innovation
Kids should undertake various projects at an early stage and discover their niche and this should be done in a friendly environment where failure is not frowned upon. There is need for fun games and business learning. Business tours for kids and interaction with some of the leading business people in the country.
I believe this is where guidance starts career! Career guidance should not start at high school or college level. By the time your child reaches form 2 you should both be knowing their key strengths and weaknesses.
So what is ZBIN Doing?
We are already late in the holiday but we will share a lot of information on business and the kids. We will share a couple of resources such as videos and articles. We hope to be prepared next term and invite teachers from the forum to register and deliver business classes for the young ones. Other countries have developed system in place to nurture business talent for youngsters and in Southern Africa we need not be left behind.
