Rydberg Starck Limited has awarded a 2 million Kwacha business grant each to 10 youth-led businesses under the ‘Luntha ndi Chuma’ Digital Skills Development and Innovation Training Program who emerged winners of an entrepreneurship pitching competition program held in Blantyre to boost their businesses.
The ‘Luntha ndi Chuma’ Program is an initiative that is being implemented by the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) under the Digital Malawi Project (DIGMAP) with funding from the World Bank through grants to Rydberg Starck Limited and other technology (tech) hubs.
The 10 youth-led businesses from the districts of Nsanje, Chikwawa, Blantyre, and Chiradzulu underwent training in digital and entrepreneurship skills as part of the program.
In his remarks, Project Manager for DIGMAP, Chimwemwe Matemba reiterated the project’s commitment to bridging the digital gap, stimulating economic growth, job creation, and entrepreneurship among Malawi’s youth and women.
Communications Officer for Rydberg Starck Limited Cuthbert Magawa provided insights into the selection process, revealing that 16 top candidates out of 219 participants were chosen to pitch their business ideas, with 10 emerging as successful recipients of the grants.
Magawa stressed Rydberg Starck’s expectation for the grant recipients to not only implement businesses benefiting youth and communities but also to apply the acquired digital and entrepreneurship skills to their businesses.
Among the recipients of the grants are Tony Mkandawire from Lunzu in Blantyre, Ronald Mchacha from Nsanje, Benjamin Manyangwa from Chiradzulu, and Alfred Goba from Chikwawa, showcasing the program’s reach across multiple regions and its impact on diverse youth entrepreneurs.
