10,000 Youths to Benefit From Mavetera’s Flagship Cybersecurity Program

Zimbabwe’s Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, today launched a landmark cybersecurity training program aimed at equipping over 10,000 Zimbabwean youths with critical digital security skills.

The program, running under the theme “Securing Zimbabwe’s Digital Future through Capacity Building,” is a product of a trilateral partnership between the Government of Zimbabwe, Russia’s Cyberus Foundation, and local tech firm RedZone Digital Zimbabwe.

“We are building a digitally sovereign Zimbabwe that protects its infrastructure and empowers its youth,” Mavetera said.
She highlighted that the initiative would empower young people with skills in ethical hacking, real-world cyberattack simulations, and cybersecurity fundamentals.

Mavetera revealed that Russian Tech giant Cyberus had committed to offering 160 additional scholarships, ten students from each SADC member state, making this a truly regional initiative, and positioning Zimbabwe as a cybersecurity hub in Southern Africa.

“Graduates of the program will not only gain vital certificates but top performances will be guaranteed job offers on National infrastructure projects and added to Zimbabwe’s national Cybersecurity talent program,” she added.

Charge d’Affaires of the Russian Federation embassy, Sergey Kuzin said, “In this rapidly digital era, the empowerment of youth through comprehensive training is not merely an option but a strategic imperative.”

The Cybersecurity training comes as a blessing as Zimbabwe faces growing digital security threats, with a significant increase in ransomware attacks and phishing incidents reported in recent years.

Ransomware attacks involve malicious software designed to block access to computer systems or data until a ransom is paid, while phishing involves social engineering techniques to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information.

However, the government has taken steps to bolster cybersecurity, including developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy and enacting the Cyber and Data Protection Act.

The cutting program will run for approximately 13 months, divided into four stages, with participants receiving certificates confirming their skills after each stage.