adminLethokuhle Moyo Chronicle Reporter
Communities have been urged to empower orphans and vulnerable children by equippping them with skills to enable them to start income generating projects. Addressing guests at a sports gala which is part of the Children’s Rights campaign programme held in Bulilima West district’s ward 12 on Saturday, Welcome Sibanda – Caritas Zimbabwe development coordinator encouraged communities to embark on various projects that will generate money to help orphans.
Caritas – a charity arc of the Roman Catholic Church – embarked on a children’s rights campaign programme in Hingwe community targeting more than 400 orphans and vulnerable children that were selected by the community.
“We want to equip the children with farming skills so that through the Young Farmers clubs they can start farming projects,” Sibanda said.
Caritas livelihoods programme officer Njabulo Ndlovu said they had established 15 nutrition gardens along the river banks and installed solar systems that will power engines that pump water to the gardens.
“We’re promoting market gardening which guarantees communities regular income that could be used to assist orphans and other vulnerable children. The communities can establish a single marketing centre where they can bring their produce” said Ndlovu.
He said 332 households with orphans had already been identified and each household will be given two goats under the goats rearing project.
“Our objective is to improve food security of these vulnerable families through both crop and livestock farming,” said Ndlovu.
He said his organisation had also assisted Hingwe, Gotshombo and Mangubo primary schools to start income generating projects. “We gave the three schools tools, building material, seeds and goats to also start goat rearing,” he said.
derick.khumalo