The Ministry of Skills Audit and Development (MOSAD) successfully conducted Skills Fair Competitions in Chipinge district of Manicaland Province, marking a significant milestone in the national rollout of the 2025 Skills Fairs initiative.
The event brought together more than 35 participants who included innovators, artisans and learners to showcase locally developed skills and promote sustainable economic growth in line with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) objectives.
The Skills Fair competitions are meant to identify, showcase and celebrate local talent and innovation across various skills sectors; encourage the participation of rural communities in national skills development programmes; promote the adoption of climate-smart and sustainable livelihoods through technical and vocational skills; strengthen collaboration between the Government and Private Sector in supporting community-driven innovation and create a platform for exchange of ideas and knowledge among innovators, artisans and learners.
Held on October 21, 2025, at Chipinge Junior Primary School, this inaugural event drew significant community participation and stakeholder engagement. The fair was officially opened by Director P. Ngorima, representing Permanent Secretary Ambassador Rudo M. Chitiga, who emphasised MOSAD’s commitment to empowering rural communities through targeted skills development initiatives.
Outstanding Winners and Innovations
🔬 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)
🥇 1st Place: Smart Agriculture Innovation Hub
Solo Zvinei (15 years old) 
- Smart Granary: Detects moisture, humidity, and temperature, sending signals directly to owner’s phone
- Smart Farm Guard: Detects intruders and warns owner
- Water Level Monitor: Detects water levels in tanks and notifies owner
- Constructed using recycled materials from old radios and phones
🥈 2nd Place: Catalytic Converter for Environmental Protection
Gaza Student
- Reduces harmful gases through redox reactions
- Converts carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide
- Addresses environmental pollution concerns
💡 INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
🥇 1st Place: Mini-Car Patrol Vehicle
Moses Tarenda
- One-man seater car powered by a motorbike engine
- Built from scrap materials for only USD 500
- Functions like a real car with front and overhead lights
- Maximum speed of 90km/hour
- Designed to patrol farms, saving time and addressing fear of riding motorbikes
🥈 2nd Place: Cartoon Animation for Education
Mazayo Munyaradzi
- Creates cartoon animations for advertising and educational purposes
- Uses Plotagon application
- Showcases work on Calmertv YouTube channel
🌾 SMART AGRICULTURE
🥇 1st Place: Comprehensive Robotics and Automation Systems
Mlambo & Group
- Drone systems for irrigation, tracking, and delivery services in inaccessible areas
- Automatic digital tollgate system with payment detection and automatic impounding
- Farm pump and farm guard systems
- Smart car technology
🥈 2nd Place: Eco-Friendly Drip Irrigation System
Gaza Student Form 3
- Recycling plastic bottles to create irrigation pipes
- Collects water from reservoir to field
- Uses cheap and easily accessible materials
- Reduces pollution through recycling
🧺 CRAFTS
🥇 1st Place: Root Basketry and Decorative Items
Christner Rupangwana
- Creates ducks, trays, vases, and baskets using roots
- Can produce any design using natural root materials
🥈 2nd Place: Matabeleland Style Basketry
United Hands (Women Group from Chirinda)
- Wall hangers, reeds & plastic basketry, and handbags
- Previously represented Zimbabwe at trade fairs in Mozambique and Dubai
- Facilitated by the Ministry of Women Affairs
🎨 ART
🥇 1st Place: Wildlife Art with Primary Colors
Misheck Mabore
- Draws animals using primary color paints
- Art & craft drawing specialist
🥈 2nd Place: Hyperrealism Art Drawing
Tinashe Maposa
- Creates compacted hyperrealism using needles for skin pores
- Uses crushed pencil powders to imitate or mimic photographs
🥉 3rd Place: Stone Sculpture
Jefrey Masiya
- Animal sculpturing using soft stone
The Manicaland Province Skills Fair Competitions demonstrated the wealth of untapped talent in Zimbabwe’s rural communities. From 15-year-old innovators creating smart agricultural solutions to women’s groups representing the nation on international stages, the fair has proven to be a catalyst for empowerment, innovation and sustainable economic development.