LocationsFrom training to entrepreneurship: A story of the Mashava brothers
March 23, 2026
In Summary:
• Through the CAWEP partnership between the Government of Zimbabwe, the United Nations Development Programme, and the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, vocational training is helping rural youth in Chipinge build climate-resilient livelihoods.
• Brothers Ronald and Ralph Mashava used CAWEP training in solar installation to launch a local solar business in September 2024.
• Their enterprise now generates steady income—about $3,200 in its first year, far surpassing earnings from increasingly unreliable sesame farming.
• The business supports their seven-member household, helping pay school fees and ensuring food security even when harvests fail.
• By providing affordable local solar services, the brothers are saving community members money and inspiring other youth to pursue skills-based opportunities at home.
Two brothers in the rural community of Hakwata in the drought-prone lower Chipinge region are using solar power to overcome the challenges of climate change. The Mashava brothers, Ronald (25) and Ralph (20), are lighting up homes, but they are also lighting up their family's future as they are no longer vulnerable to the droughts that have resulted in chronic food insecurity in the lower Chipinge region.
The Mashava family and many others in the lower Chipinge region have been affected by climate shocks and rain-fed agriculture has been their mainstay. Their primary source of income was the sale of cash crops such as sesame, but with unreliable rain, sesame farming yields have declined, providing little financial relief and barely enough to feed their families. In good years, the family could earn nearly $1,000 per farming season from sesame sales, but in recent years droughts linked to climate change and falling market prices have reduced their earnings to less than $200 per season, placing the household at risk of food and economic insecurity.
Realizing that they needed to adapt, Ronald (25) and Ralph (20) diversified, and with vocational training and business skills development through the UNDP CAWEP project, the brothers learned solar installation. They established their business in September 2024 and have become much more resilient to climate shocks: Whereas crops fail because of a lack of rain, the sun remains an abundant resource for their new businesses. This diversification has had a significant financial impact. Previously, sesame farming provided only irregular seasonal income.
This steady cash flow has become a safety net that has cushioned the household when their agricultural harvests have been poor, and the two income streams have built an economic ecosystem that protects both from failure. The increased economic stability has led to a better quality of life for the Mashava household, with seven family members, who now have more money to buy grain and groceries, even when their own crops fail. Furthermore, the brothers have stepped up to assist their parents, paying school fees for their younger siblings and easing the financial burden on the household.
The impact of the Mashava brothers’ enterprise extends beyond their immediate family to the wider community. Previously, community members who required solar installation services had to outsource technicians from as far as Checheche, Chipinge town, or Mutare. These external contractors charged exorbitant rates, covering both labor and high transportation costs. By providing these services locally, the Mashava brothers are saving the community significant amounts of money, offering reasonable charges without the added burden of mileage fees.
Moreover, the success of these young entrepreneurs plays a crucial role in curbing cross-border migration. In Hakwata, it was the norm for able-bodied youth to cross the borders in search of "green pastures," often leaving the community starved of labor. Ronald and Ralph have demonstrated that vocational training can create viable opportunities right at home. Their resilience is inspiring other youth to acknowledge that they can still make it in life without leaving their communities, provided they engage in skills training. As they look to the future, in the next five years, Ronald and Ralph envision establishing a registered solar installation company, employing fellow community members, and expanding their services to include fixing and supplying.
Through vocational training and business skills development, they have gained the confidence and expertise to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. As they continue to grow and expand their business, they are poised to make a lasting impact on their community, promoting sustainable energy solutions and inspiring and creating opportunities for other youth. They credit the CAWEP project for broadening their knowledge, unlocking opportunities, and exposing them to the benefits of harnessing solar energy.