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Fungai Lupande Mash Central Bureau
Soap and detergent making have become a ticket to a better life for a group of 20 women from Chipadze high density suburb of Bindura.
This comes as many women are emulating First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s programmes through Angel of Hope which is empowering other women.
The women are making good use of the women empowerment agenda that the Second Republic is advancing.
Using meagre resources and the knowledge they gained in women empowerment training, the group is providing cheaper and quality products in their community and beyond.
Ms Cecilia Runesu said the inter-denominational Council of Churches trained about 250 women across Mashonaland Central in November last year. Afterwards, 20 women from Bindura joined hands to start their own project and named themselves the Innovative Women.
Since February this year, the group periodically gathers at the house of one of their members to manufacture their products.
Their products include petroleum jelly, fabric softener, toilet cleaner, foam bath, among others.
The chairperson, Ms Runesu said they decided to form a group and make use of the training.
“We have 20 members and we contributed US$10 each to start this project,” she said.
“We don’t have all the requisite equipment and our market at the moment is our local community. However, we are not backtracking, we are forging ahead.”
The group wishes to become properly established entrepreneurs.
Ms Runesu said they are still using plastic buckets and cooking sticks to make the detergents.
“After making our products each one is given a batch to sell.
“We set a date to convene and surrender the money so that we can buy chemicals,” she said.
“We want to grow and establish a proper company.”
Ms Eleta Jonga said they are in dire need of machinery because the process is laborious.
“We are using cooking sticks but the job needs power and it is tiresome. We need premises where people can locate.
We are limited in terms of quantities because we don’t have space to stock,” she said.
A member of the group, Ms Netsai Chagwada, said they are doing things differently from other people.
“We cannot always be begging, that’s why we decided to become innovative. Our products are unique and of good quality,” she said.
“We are now training other women to impart the knowledge we received. We encourage women to become economically independent.
“We are also training youths so that we don’t die with the knowledge.”
Online Reporter