Africa-Press – Eswatini. In a powerful stand against the rising tide of youth unemployment, the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO) and ENACTUS Eswatini officially joined forces to battle youth unemployment.
Leaders from both ENACTUS and SEDCO gathered at the SEDCO Headquarters on February 25, 2026 to witness this historic occasion. The signing of the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) represents a unified front in the mission to transform academic brilliance into commercial success stories.
This partnership acts as a beacon of hope, designed with a clear goal: turning thousands of job seekers into the employers of tomorrow.
The collaboration addresses a critical gap in the labour market. ENACTUS Eswatini Country Director, Mr Sabelo Dlamini, reveals that while 25 000 young people graduate annually, the economy currently offers only 1 000 formal jobs.
“This means for every 25 graduates, 24 walk into a vacuum,” Dlamini explains. “We are changing that narrative by training them to build the companies that will define our future. We are moving from being employees to becoming employers.”
Under this agreement, ENACTUS will mobilise its network of student innovators. Meanwhile, SEDCO will provide the “business engine” through incubation, market linkages, and professional training.
SEDCO CEO, Khethiwe Mhlanga, notes that this initiative is a direct response to the “Speech from the Throne” by His Majesty King Mswati III. His Majesty recently called for urgent, innovative solutions to unemployment.
Mhlanga emphasises that the strategic plan now ensures campus ideas are incubated within SEDCO. This provides the formal structure and support needed to reach a global stage. It ensures the entrepreneurship spirit starts at the tertiary level but thrives in the real world.
The “Project-to-Business” model is already yielding results with the current ENACTUS champions from UNESWA Luyengo. Led by CEO Sinegugu Dlamini, the team’s venture, Nutri-Plume Eco Solutions, transforms discarded chicken feathers into high-grade organic fertiliser.
Previously a campus project in Mkulamini, Nutri-Plume is now set to become a regional industrial player. Dlamini adds that with SEDCO’s support, they are building a Swati brand ready for export to the entire Southern African region.
By linking young visionaries with past “Entrepreneur of the Year” winners, the MOU creates a mentorship pipeline for long-term sustainability. This partnership is more than a signed document; it is a roadmap for economic independence.
By formalising youth-led businesses, SEDCO and ENACTUS are ensuring that the next generation leads the nation’s industrial and agricultural growth from the front.
