THE Junior Chamber International in Bulawayo has launched its 2014 edition of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) programme. Junior Chamber International (JCI) Bulawayo chapter president Mlondolozi Ndlovu said the TOYP formally recognises young people aged between 18 and 40 years of age who excel in their chosen fields and create positive change to encourage nominees to continue excelling.

He said the nominees would inspire other young persons to greater levels of performance for the good of society at large.
This year’s TOYP award categories include the Business, economic and or entrepreneurial accomplishment, Political, legal and or governmental affairs, Academic leadership and or accomplishment, Cultural achievement, Moral and or environmental leadership, Contribution to children, world peace and or human rights, Humanitarian and or voluntary leadership, Scientific and or technological development, Personal improvement and or accomplishment, and Medical innovation,

“Each nominee must be entered in only one of the 10 categories,” said Ndlovu.
He said nominees could be submitted through logging on onto JCI’s website.

“They will then be emailed a soft copy of the nomination form to complete and submit to the same email address. Nominations can also be submitted to any of the other JCI local organisations located in Harare, Mutare, Kwekwe, and Gweru who will convey these to JCI Bulawayo. We shall also be distributing forms through other youth, business and developmental networks before the nominations closing date of April 15, 2014,” he said.

Ndlovu said all national JCI TOYP honourees would be invited to JCI TOYP ceremony during the 2014 JCI World Congress in Germany in November where they would be presented with their trophies, along with nominees from other countries where TOYP was being simultaneously run.

The JCI programme was developed by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce president Durwood Howes during 1930 -1931 through a yearbook entitled “America’’s Young Men”, which highlighted the work of twelve exemplary leaders each year.