Local MP Praises President Mnangagwa for Establishing Skills Ministry
The Ministry of Skills Audit and Development continued its successful rollout of the 2025 Skills Fair Competitions in Chimanimani District, where 36 participants showcased remarkable innovations that left local leadership and stakeholders in awe.
The event, held at Chimanimani Village open space, drew 26 stakeholders including District Heads of various Government Ministries and Departments, who witnessed a stunning display of grassroots innovation ranging from sustainable energy solutions to cutting-edge engineering designs.
In a significant show of support, local Member of Parliament Hon. J.K. Sacco and his wife graced the occasion, expressing deep appreciation for the Ministry’s initiative. “We are discovering exceptional talents within our community that had previously gone unnoticed even by local leadership,” Hon. Sacco remarked during his address at the fair.
Speaking on Chimanimani FM radio station, Hon. Sacco expressed his gratitude to President E.D. Mnangagwa for establishing the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development, and thanked Hon. Minister Prof. Paul Mavima for ensuring the team visited Chimanimani.
“Being illiterate does not mean one has no skills,” Hon. Sacco emphasized during the radio broadcast, which reached communities across Manicaland and as far as Chikomba. “Acquiring skills is essential for personal growth and for the development of the nation as a whole.”
The fair showcased innovations that address real community challenges while demonstrating world-class ingenuity:
Jacob Mukunukuyi claimed top honors in the TVET category with his revolutionary 2-in-1 dehuller and grinding mill that processes super refined mealie meal in just six minutes per 20-litre bucket, operated by a single person. The innovation also helps entrepreneurs avoid double taxation by combining two machines into one.
Leeroy Gondo won the STEM category with a solar-powered sawmill that can run for 24 hours, moving away from fossil fuels while improving efficiency in timber processing.
In a display of sustainable innovation, Solomon Bvumba presented his “New Great Zimbabwe” concept – a system that harnesses naturally cold air from the Chimanimani highlands to create energy-efficient cold rooms for food preservation. He plans to extend this concept to establish a mortuary, addressing a critical need in rural communities.
Kudakwashe Masocha earned first place in Engineering with his innovative design for the congested Mutare Interchange, proposing solutions to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety at one of the city’s busiest junctions.
Jelous Chabata impressed judges in the Digital and Innovation category with his electricity generation system using disused bicycle rims and plastic water bottles as improvised turbines, powered by community water sources.
Particularly inspiring was the strong showing by school children, whose STEM and engineering projects demonstrated technical aptitude and bold vision for the future. Primrose Mashingaidze designed a mini-projector that operates on both DC and AC power, ideal for schools in areas with unstable electricity or those utilizing solar energy, revolutionizing teaching and learning experiences.
Ashely Huyana created a magnetic mixer for time-saving chemical mixing, while Tinashe Mufute developed a mineral location detector tailored for Zimbabwe, integrating geological survey data and satellite imagery to pinpoint mining locations.
The fair also celebrated traditional crafts and arts. Rachel Majokwiro’s pottery showcased cultural heritage rooted in ancient traditions, while Perceverence Masawa’s African animal skin carpets from ethically sourced hides demonstrated both functional and artistic value.
Herbet Chibanda earned third place in Crafts for his eco-friendly approach to recycling plastic bottles into functional and artistic items, addressing waste reduction while creating practical products.
The Chimanimani Skills Fair built on lessons learned from the successful Chipinge District event held on October 21, with improved planning and coordination. Director P. Ngorima, who led the MOSAD delegation, commended the remarkable innovation displayed and expressed optimism about Chimanimani’s potential to drive local development through talent and creativity.
The Skills Fair Competitions align with Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) objectives of fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth through skills development. The initiative aims to bridge formal and informal skills sectors while promoting climate-smart and sustainable livelihoods.
Chimanimani District Most Successful Participants:
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NAME | ITEM | DESCRIPTION | POSITION |
| TVET | Jacob Mukunukuyi | A combined dehuller and grinding mill (2-in-1) | · A 2-in-1 dehuller and grinding meal that processes super refined mealie meal, thereby cutting on time and labour costs.
· This machine is operated by only one person. · Once maize grain is poured into the dehuller it gets processed and chuff blown by in inbuilt fan. and the processed grain then automatically transferred into the grinding mill without any man handling. · Uses both diesel and electricity. · Takes only 6mins to process a 20-litre bucket of maize. · The 2-in-1 was also a way of averting double taxes for the stand alone dehuller and grinding mill, as only one tax is charged to the entrepreneur.
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NAME | ITEM | DESCRIPTION | POSITION |
| TVET (cont.) | Livingstone Nyamadzawo | Landscaping using Stones | · Uses natural stones for landscaping to offer a durable, low-maintenance, and visually striking way to enhance outdoor space. | 2 |
| Solomon Bvumba | New Great Zimbabwe | · A grassroots innovation has emerged of the evolving landscape of the New Great Zimbabwe
· Harnessed naturally cold air from the highlands of Chimanimani to create energy-efficient cold rooms within the walls. · This ingenious system channels the region’s naturally chilled airflow into insulated spaces, offering a sustainable solution for food preservation and storage. · The innovator plans to extend this concept to establish a mortuary, addressing a critical need in rural communities while minimizing reliance on electricity. |
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| STEM | Leeroy Gondo | Designed a Solar powered sawmill | · A clean energy sawmill to improve efficiency in timber processing.
· Production can run for 24hrs Solves local problems moving away from fossil fuel |
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NAME | ITEM | DESCRIPTION | POSITION |
| STEM | Ashely Huyana | Designed a magnetic mixer | · A time saving and multi-tasking magnetic mixer.
· A magnetic mixer used to mix chemicals using a rotating magnetic field, offering a clean, efficient, and contact-free method of agitation. · Time is set and the mixer cuts off |
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| Tinashe Mufute | Mineral Location Detector | · A mineral location detector tailored for Zimbabwe, which provides an interactive mapping system that identifies specific sites where various minerals are actively mined across the country.
· It integrates geological survey data, mining records, and satellite imagery, the detector allows users to pinpoint locations of key resources |
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| Engineering | Kudakwashe Masocha | Mutare Interchange Design | · Designed an interchange for Mutare flyover which has become a perennial nightmare due to serious congestion throughout the day and worse during rush hour period.
· The road is ever busy, as it is a gateway from Mutare City CBD to southern suburbs (Sakubva, Dangamvura, Fern Valley enroute to Birchenough bridge – Masvingo highway.
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NAME | ITEM | DESCRIPTION | POSITION |
| Engineering | · The design aim to reduce congestion, improve safety, and enhance connectivity. | |||
| Primrose Mashingaidze | Mini-Projector | · A compact device which offers flexibility by operating on both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) power sources, making it ideal for schools in areas with unstable electricity or those utilizing solar energy.
· It revolutionizes teaching and learning experiences. · Teachers can easily project educational content, videos, and presentations onto classroom walls or screens, enhancing student engagement and visual learning. Its portability and energy efficiency allows for seamless integration into various learning environments, from urban schools to remote village classrooms, bridging the digital divide and supporting inclusive education.
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NAME | ITEM | DESCRIPTION | POSITION |
| Digital and Innovation | Jelous Chabata | Generation of electricity using disused bicycle rim (wheel) and improvised plastic water bottles to work as water turbines | · Uses a disused bicycle rim attached with disused cut into half plastic water bottles to work as turbines.
· A mini water fall is created from community water source, which will be directed to hit/fall onto the improvised half bottle turbines and make the rim spin and thereby generate electricity. · The wheel speed rotates according to the pressure of the water, which will then determine the amount of electricity to be generated. |
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| Kudzai Parutu (Represented by Kudzai Fambisa) | Digital Drawing | · Uses digital drawings to explore complex social themes such as gender-based violence and African beauty.
· Symbolic imagery is used to depict pain, resilience, and hope of survivors, using visual metaphors. · Represents African beauty, celebrates cultural |
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NAME | ITEM | DESCRIPTION | POSITION |
| pride, identity, and heritage, often illustrated through vibrant colours, traditional attire, and natural elements | 2 | |||
| Arts | Lazarous Mahoso | Pencil and Colour drawings | · Uses pencil and colours to offer a versatile and expressive way to bring ideas to life on paper.
· Expresses emotions and occupies himself through drawings thereby eliminating drug abuse. |
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| Chipo Muyambo | Beading | · A decorative art form that involves threading beads onto string, wire, or fabric to create intricate designs and patterns.
· Used in jewellery making, clothing embellishment, and cultural crafts, often reflecting traditional motifs and personal expression. |
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| Crafts | Rachel Majokwiro | Pottery | · A craft that involves shaping and firing clay to create functional and decorative objects such as pots, vases, and sculptures.
· Rooted in ancient traditions, pottery reflects cultural heritage and artistic expression, often featuring unique textures, patterns, and glazes.
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| Crafts | Perceverence Masawa | African carpets | · Traditional African animal skin carpets from ethically sourced hides, which are tanned and treated to preserve their texture, colour, and durability.
· The carpets are functional floor coverings and also express identity, prestige, and artistry. |
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| Herbet Chibanda | Plastic bottle items | · Recycles plastic bottles in a practical and eco-friendly way to reduce waste while creating functional and artistic items.
· Creatively transforms plastic bottles into a wide range of products that serve everyday needs or beautify spaces. |
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| Entrepreneurship | Prince Maworera | Photography | · Captures images using electronic sensors and storing them as digital files, offering instant access, editing flexibility and wide sharing capabilities. |