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Ethiopian Youth Revolving Fund (YRF) loan was established with the objective to provide financial and technical assistance to unemployed youths in alleviating their economic and social difficulties by using the fund sustainably. However, the government and Oromia Credit and Saving Share Company (OCSSCo) reports(2017/218-2020/2021) show that loan repayment was not performed as expected for the reasons not yet scientifically studied and justified. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of perceived political environment variables on loan repayment performance and sustainability of YRF in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study used cross-sectional descriptive and explanatory research design and the data was collected from 328 sample respondents in the selected area. STATA software version 16 was employed and Chi-square (X2) test of association was used to check the significant association among different explanatory variables and their effect on YRF loan repayment performance. The findings showed that variables such as initial time of fund release, perception that money is political kit, information asymmetry about fund, escorted systematic corruption, intervention of third party in fund approval, losses and damages of business due to political instability and strikes have affected loan repayment performance and sustainability of YRF at less than 5% level of significance. Finally, the government and OCSSCo are recommended to create sufficient public awareness to about the fund, provide adequate trainings and guidance and follow-up borrowers’ businesses. Government should also create a system that minimize unnecessary intervention on fund approval, eliminate bias and nepotism, make accountable officials for misconduct. It should be also develop fewer policies and legislative texts to govern the implementation of YRF and create a public- private partnership to implement and manage the fund keeping remote its hands from implementation of the fund but with adequate supervision to ensure the fund’s effectiveness and long-term sustainability,

Keywords: Youth Revolving Fund, perceived political environment, loan repayment performance, sustainability.

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen unprecedented changes to the way people conduct business and work whilst striving to reduce downtime and maintain or even increase productivity (Belzunegui- Eraso and Erro-Garcés, 2020). Long lockdown periods and the need to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) regulations for social distancing have necessitated that organisations instruct their employees to telecommute or work remotely from home in an effort to maintain business sustainability and continuity (OECD, 2020). This research explored how Zimbabwean telecommunications companies implemented teleworking as a business sustainability and continuity strategy in the Covid-19 pandemic environment. This study was qualitative in nature, employing a phenomenology philosophy. Thirty knowledgeable telecommunications managers and business leaders were invited to complete a detailed online questionnaire that helped draw conclusions to the objectives. Based on these questionnaires and some secondary data review, this study determined that teleworking was widely adopted by 97% of the telecommunications sector during the Covid-19 pandemic era. The implementation of telework and BCM processes was the required antidote to the decrease in productivity and threats to job security and business continuity presented by lockdowns. Teleworking guaranteed retention of employees, real estate and administrative cost savings, continued business operations and service delivery. In addition, telework helped curb the potential spread of the virus amongst employees and customers who would have congregated at the work place. Inconsistent supply of electricity, inadequate communication and collaboration tools and platforms as well as lack of ergonomic chairs and desks were the major factors indicated to be deterring effective and productive telework. The study also revealed that there was an increased demand for telecommunications products and services during the pandemic particularly on lock down periods. This was confirmed by POTRAZ (2021) in their first quarter abridged postal and telecommunications sector performance report. Customers had a new need for reliable internet connections to use when working from home, learning online and for entertainment. The businesses made efforts to ensure that their services were adhering to availability, reliability and dependability standards. There is a great need for the establishment of standards and policies to govern telework and BCM process and policy implementation in telecommunications companies for successful business continuity and sustainability.

Keywords: Teleworking, telecommuting, working from home, Business Continuity Management (BCM), business continuity, telecommunications, sustainability, Covid-19.