Friday, March 29, 2024

Entrepreneur successfully completes his walking from Lusaka to Livingstone in 15 days

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An entrepreneur Frank Masanta (right) address Journalists (not in picture) in Livingstone district commissioner Paul Sensele’s office as COMESA cross border traders association Livingstone chairperson Simon Chande (left) look on
An entrepreneur Frank Masanta (right) address Journalists (not in picture) in Livingstone district commissioner Paul Sensele’s office as COMESA cross border traders association Livingstone chairperson Simon Chande (left) look on

A 31 year old entrepreneur Frank Masanta has successfully completed his 15-days of walking from Lusaka to Livingstone with a call for young people to embrace entrepreneurship skills instead of waiting for handouts from Government.

Mr Masanta, who works for Youth for Africa Renaissance and Faculty organisation and flagged-off his entrepreneurship walk from Lusaka two weeks ago, arrived in Livingstone on Tuesday around 14:00 hours.

Speaking at Livingstone district commissioner Paul Sensele’s office upon his arrival on Tuesday, Mr Masanta said the Government had already shown its commitment to promote entrepreneurship and hence it was important that young people embraced entrepreneurship to sustain their living.

Mr Masanta’s walk, which was sponsored by Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) SME Toolkit Zambia, was made possible by some district commissioners and well wishers along the way who gave him food and shelter.

“I have walked from Lusaka to Livingstone to try and demonstrate the importance of entrepreneurship.

I would like to inspire my fellow young people to engage in entrepreneurship instead of always asking for handouts from Government and other organisations,” he said.

Mr Masanta said the future the Zambian economy depended on entrepreneurship and it was important that every citizen played a part to supplement Government efforts of creating jobs to the citizens.

“Young people should not just wait for Government to empower every youth. Let them actively engage in creating jobs for themselves instead of always complaining that there are no jobs in the country,” he said.

Mr Masanta said the Government alone could not manage to provide jobs to each and every youth.

“For instance, I only had about K40, 000 when Sports permanent secretary Agness Musunga flagged off the watch in Lusaka recently but because of my entrepreneurship skills, I have managed to walk the whole way and reach Livingstone without difficulties.

I did not have enough money along the way but people embraced my idea because it is part of the solution to help the Government,” Mr Masanta said.

And speaking at the same function, Mr Sensele commended Mr Masanta for successfully completing the entrepreneurship walk.

Mr Sensele said the walk had taught young people that they could sustain themselves without always looking elsewhere for help.

“As Government, we are trying to promote entrepreneurship and so walk has supplemented our efforts by inspiring youths to engage in entrepreneurship.

Our youth like the syndrome of being helped by their parents. We need to encourage them on how to fish and not giving them fish,” Mr Sensele said.

Southern Province sports coordinator Vincent Sitali said he was grateful that Mr Masanta had successfully walked for Lusaka to Livingstone for 15-days.

“As Ministry of Sports, we are involved in promoting entrepreneurship and so you have inspired young people in Southern Province and the rest of Zambia.

You have shown that young people should be physically fit and instead of young people engaging in evil vices that can destroy their bodies,” Mr Sitali said.

COMESA cross border traders association Livingstone chairperson Simon Chande commended Mr Masanta for a successful entrepreneurship walk from Lusaka to Livingstone.

66 COMMENTS

    • Yes, I met various young people, head teachers and headmen as key partners even for the future entrepreneurial Training of Trainers Workshops meant to spread entrepreneurship skills, knowledge and opportunities through networking.

  1. It is a successful story.
    Masanta is not entrepreneur enough, he started with walking with K40pin. How much did he end up with in Livingstone? Did Masanta get any free hotel room anywhere, who paid for his sneakers, get any free hair-cut?
    Value all what you received on way, total up and give us a figure: We will analyse if you made a loss or not. Before you walk back, wait for us to advise you how to make money from such a strong heart of yours. We make a fantastic fundraiser for you, you can dig gold with these legs youngman
    You see Masanta didn’t even leave contact numbers or email. Be entrepreneur.

  2. And while I find this article inspiring, I have a few questions of my own. It’s a good way to bring awareness and encourage other youths to be resourceful. However, did Mr. Masanta not raise any money from this walk? Am sure he did. So, as a lay man, I’d like to know how much he raised from the 40pin he started off with in Lusaka. He doesn’t give much details as to how his journey was along the way, where he had to camp for the night and how he hustled for food and the like. Am sure, he was using the bush to relieve himself everyday but, I’d like to get some insight so that, my lazy and drunk kopala cousin can be inspired as well.

    So, if you’re reading this Mr. Masanta, please provide your contact information as well, don’t act uncivilized. Otherwise, tepulogulamu iyi.

    • Thanks my man,
      U know, this is just an article and hence few information. The walk was not about raising funds along the while i walk(risk people can easily attack you thinking you carrying bags of money). The walk was one of the Global Entrepreneurship Week activity to raise entrepreneurship awareness through the media. Just like i talked to Mazubuka Radio and Sky fm Radio. Created networks that i will be following ToT pragrams and so on. For more info, email me as [email protected]. Thanks again my man.

    • I think it’s commendable that his walk lifts the profile on entrepreneurship in Zambia. The article should have had more detailed background on Mr. Masanta and his plans going forward; the lack of detail I blame entirely on the Lusaka Times who still seem to ignore fundamental roles journalism plays( providing complete analysis, adequate investigation, actual effort when editing articles prior to publishing as well as after to ensure accuracy and completeness, etc) Mr. Masanta, I sincerely wish you success in your entrepreneurial quest, you might be interested in kiva.org which provides an avenue for funding.

  3. So what was to be achieved by this walk, how was it exactly going to motivate the youths to start up businesses – not businesses of walking or marathons? What was the idea behind this walk in pratical terms? Where do we go to from here?

  4. And how was he insipring youths in Kaputa, Shang’ombo, Namwala, Masansa and many other rural areas if he cant inspire me who stays along the line of rail??? Cheap strategy just to gain popularity, wat we want are solutions not cheap talk. Providing employment is a must which the govt can not run away from. Look at wat happens in USA and Europe wen unemployment levels rise??? Its an issue but here the govt wants to use poor cheap chaps as a way of running away from its responsibility. How can a fresh graduate create his/her own employment wen even at University they depended on BC?? Only pipo who come from well to do families can manage. There are exceptional cases but generally one needs to atleast work and establish oneself before venturing into entrepreneurship…. i rest my case

  5. Walking while u receive support (money and shelter) from district commissioners and other well wishers; where is entrepreneurship apa? did u do any work? are you then encouraging other youths to make such walks and turn into receivers??? catching story yes but not proactive..

  6. The chap shud have just begged for a 25 pin to add to the 40 pin and got on a Mazhandu bus ! As an entrepreneur he ought to know that time is money. This was a worthless cause.

  7. This chap is lazy, how do you spend 15 days walking instead of being productive. too much of weed is bad for your mental thinking.
     

  8. A true business mind uses everything presented to get ahead…what this man has done is to inspire young people by saying come what may, if you want it…go ahead and get it, very much like walking from Livingstone to Lusaka! This thought should have been first put forth to the youth before the walk…to get more attention after the walk…
    However, not much is lost, well done young man…at least here is a man who puts his life on the line to get young people sitting under mango trees to push for a better life…
    I also reckon this man is more wiser then most bloggers on this particular article going by the posted comments!

    • A youth is below the age of 35…that is why you can’t be president in Zambia until you have attended that age…don’t they teach you anything in school these days?

  9. First of all, thank you for your contributions,
    I accept and understand your criticism and you are right, however it depends from which angle you are looking from , there are various kinds of entrepreneurs such as serial entrepreneur and so on. And therefore you could commenting based on these windows.
    I wish to further say that, am a social entrepreneur. According to the Wikipedia, it says that social entrepreneurship is the recognition of a social problem and the uses of entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a social venture to achieve a desired social change. While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur also measures positive returns to society.

  10. #2 i support your stand, pipo have this big talk about trade and entreprenurship yet they cant venture your reference man is the best example..#4 Thats the blogger we know please remain constructive.#11 yes you are right but it is due to our financial institutions inability to loosen lending rules that enable graduates to access loans, and also the education standard allowed alot of dependancy on jobs but entreprenurship has been introduced we may be more productive youths.Purpose of walk not marketed well thanx #4

  11. This walk was most productive, Raised entrepreneurship[p awareness through the media such Mazabuka Radio, Sky FM Radio, Daily Newspaper as of today the 5th Dec. Created contact with Headmen, School Head Masters and of-course the District Commissioners, Southern province Provincial Co-donator, Lafarge, Zambia Sugar few to mention. Other youths are inspired and calling to find out how we can work to progress from this foundation. This was not about raising funds or begging District Commissioners but paying a courtesy call to them too. This walk, The Global Entrepreneurship Week-Walk will be held annually in dedication of Global Entrepreneurship Week to raise entrepreneurship profile in Zambia and win fans for Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrated globally. Am thankful to God.

    • I just want to congratulate you for your courage. I agree with you that there are many ways of bringing positive effect on yourng people. We all get influenced by many different indicators and human actions. some people are inspired by what you did some have not been. That is just life – that is why the majority of people believe in God because of the diversity of creativity.

      May God bless your ideas and may you forge forward to help young people discover their purpose in life. Economic Independence through entrepreneurship is needed in Zambia – and every bit of awareness raising helps. People need to learn to work hard and not to take short cuts through corruption.

  12. And remain thankful to all who embraced the idea and the sacrifice behind. It takes God to make you pass through deepest forests while alone just to promote entrepreneurship to be one of the top stories in the country. I thank you too, because your criticism can be used to advance or fail.

  13. Ok , now get up and go do some tangible and productive thing rather than sit behind the computer responding to every post. You seem to have a lot of time on your hands eh. How about cleaning soweto market.

  14. Iwe Frank @23, dont tell us that you will be wasting half a month each year walking unproductively.Get a life my dear if you did not raise even a rebased ngwee.Ichamba abaice banomba.

  15. Well done Frank. While you unfortunately did not do the much needed publicity at the beginning of your walk, you have successfully created a buzz on the need for Zambia to seriously embrace entrepreneurship as a viable career option especially among the youths. Just keep your head up my friend and never mind those that criticize to deflate you. I know this means a lot to you. After all, entrepreneurship is of course not for everyone, no matter how much preach about it. Some people will always be full time employees of others for as long as they live. And to you such colleagues, do not force it if it is not in you. You are who you are….Congrats to you Frank once more, you have set a good foundation for this walk. Just make sure that next year it is well organized right from the beginning.

    • Thank you so much,
      I and others, will surely do our best in the future, perhaps, with everyone interest to foster this cause.
      And as i look forward to be of useful to this country, i hope to work with everyone, especially
      with people like you.

      Thank you once again.

  16. Frank — On behalf of the global HQ of Global Entrepreneurship Week, thank you for your contribution to raise awareness on the importance of entrepreneurial activity. The first step is to open the eyes of young people and others to the possibilities ahead of them. You have taken that step… and many more. 

    • Hi, established in 2006 & recognized by the Ministry of Youth,Youth for Africa Renaissance and Faculty Organisation (YARF-Org) works with partners to better future possibilities of children and youth prospects through education and entrepreneurship, the organisation participated in last year’s GEW . However, as a founder for the organisation, i would like to find out if we can be one of the GEW country host in Zambia too, i understand GEW can even have 2 hosts in a country. And secondly, i have started working on GEW 2013 to generate broader participation on GEW-Walk that we launched in 2012 and was officiated by the Ministry of Youth Permanent Secretary Madam Agness Musunga on behalf of the Minister Hon. Chishimba Kambwili, are going to receive GEW certificates? [email protected]

  17. More fire Frank, the only thing is I found myself wondering why we only hear of the end of your walk, it is no small feat. people should be glad and praising you just for doing this, I am YOU DID GREAT MAN, ignore these lazy so-and-so’s. More fire!!

  18. Well done brother you have done it and spread the news to other people out there in livingstone lets walk together and teach the youths how to become your own boss ignore every criticism from people.chao james

  19. Stellar job Frank, as an entrepreneur I’m humbled, if only there were a million of you in Zambia. Next time instead of going it alone get some tourists and well wishers to join you… there are global CEOs out there whom would happily take some time out just take part in such a worthwhile venture to raise awareness.Do try to make your cause a bit more exciting and interactive next time for your followers by adding GPS tracking and live online videos to check your progress.
    Keep up the brilliant  work..hope we meet in the future!!!  

  20. Good story but I have the following questions
    1. who was tracking mr matanta to acertain he did not jump on a bus or van?
    2. How much did he make on the way.
    3.  What exactl is his business?
    4 why sounding political? is he trying get some political advantage of some sort?
    5 what was the package in  COMESA’s sponsorship.
    remember sports men make more money in sponsorship than their salaries.
    Enlighten us mr matanta

  21. There is a voluntary slant to the article with elements of mentorship and an explanation from the man who took on the venture. Perhaps a further article would do justice to the noble undertaking by explaining his entrepreneurial exploits in context to the confusing header. Either way there is nothing here worth getting snooty about and jumping over hurdles to insult the guy. Well done. LT is responsible for missing the information but it is helped by the personal explanation. No harm no foul. Stay positive.

  22. Well having said what you’ve said Frank (if infact that is truley who you say you are), I can only wish you the best of luck with what you’re trying to accomplish.

    Happy walking!!!!

  23. Imwe ba Frankie any witnesses on your trip; didn’t you just walk to Chilanga and then  jump on a bus to Monze and hook up with a Tonga fine beautie then reappear 14 days later!kikikikiki Show us your diary boss!!

  24. Frank Masanta, thank you for having such a strong positive passion. The fact that we are discussing you is good enough. Don’t mind, most Zambians are dream killers. hence ‘we are still awaiting for permission to succeed.’ Thank God for your sound mind, and a rich blessed country of Zambia. Most Zambians are living in poverty while marinaded in rich natural resources, because we lack Entrepreneurial Esteem.I am a Zambia / USA trained and experienced Global Development, Communication and Entrepreneurial Strategist. I am in the process of launching the Zambia Youth Entrepreneurial Blitz – Public Private Partnership model- Entreplomacy. This big and innovative concept is a game changer. Lets collaborate. -Email Innovation@consultan

    • Hi Mr K. Mwale,

      I am grateful to hear from you, just that encouragement you are already building Zambia beyond me.

      You really got a great dream and innovative concept, am humbled and pleased to collaborate with you

      as we build our country.

      Thank you and look forward to advance together.

      Frank Masanta
      Youth for Africa Renaissance & Faculty Organization (YARF-Org)
      Founding President

      Mobile: (+260) 977-108-890/968-110-000

      Email: [email protected]
      NOTE: The email innovation@consultan could not work, i hope you could verify it and send again using the above email.

  25. Good stuff; you are also on Facebook; Youth for Africa Renaissance & Faculty Organisation (YARF-Org) will follow you!! 

  26. uhh… Entrepreneur? What exactly has he done to get that title? I feel the word entrepreneur is being used very lightly. One can npt be a self proclaimed entrepreneur.. But rather, there are characteristics that govern what an entrepreneur really is..

    • Frank never mind your Zambian bululus, just look forward and continue with your venture, whether you have accorded yourself the Entrepreneur name its not any one’s business….Ignore them. You do not need anyone’s permission and approval to achieve your dream or venture. Its good to dream because it defines the persona we eventually become in our society. And you, my brother, you are already passed that dream, because you have taken the first baby step, don’t be hummered by PHDs and do not let negative comments bring you down, but let them build you and help you to correct your errors in your project. Make use of these negative ideas to improve. Maybe one day I might come and walk with you during my school break.

  27. I thank the Lusakatimes, Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail for the articles about this growing humbe action that i believe has and will keep making a difference , they (the media) did capture and reserved the place to write what was within reach. I believe it remains to individual people to build on or destroy the little that has been done in their own worlds.
    And i feel it is important for anybody to find out the rest and not just judge things by the
    cover. Am preparing a report about it and working on the way forward ideas that has been born due to the action. If others can only look on the negative side of this effort, with due respect i will still remain grateful for the opportunities to champion entrepreneurship with those that will not only seek perfection but starting an idea.

  28. As one of the bloggers mentioned here, there are some areas where you need to improve for next year.
    1. market the cause via radio programs, social medias even leaving advertisements in Shoprite and other stores. Create excitement before you start off.

    2. Actually invite people to accompany you. 3. Sell the idea, you can get sponsorship in terms of water, publications, T-shirts, camping kits and other resources that would be helpful for your venture. I would leave information of anything within my imagination that can help your cause on your FB. Great job…

  29. i honestly dont get what u achived but if you did, its a good thing,if u dint, it myt be a gud start. atleast you did something… weather we understand u or not, jst keep on , it cud turn into something big..

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