Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare in GOROMONZI
PAMODZI Fisheries and Fresh Produce, which is made up of a group of women, including former commercial sex workers and teenage mothers who benefited under the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme, celebrated their inaugural fish harvest on Friday last week.
The event signified a stride towards self-reliance and empowerment.
The women’s initiative, which is being spearheaded by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (FARD), seeks to uplift marginalised communities through aquaculture.
Speaking at the event, the department’s director, Mr Milton Makumbe, commended the women for their dedication.
“It is a privilege and great honour to stand before you today as we witness the fruits of dedication, learning and collaboration,” he said.
He highlighted the event’s theme, “Harnessing the Fruits of the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme” as a testament to the women’s transformative journey.
Mr Makumbe acknowledged the challenging backgrounds of some of the beneficiaries.
“Among us are women who were once engaged in sex work, and some who are teenage mothers,” he said.
“Their stories are not defined by their past, but by their courage to rewrite the narrative of their lives.”
He noted that through their collective, Pamodzi Fisheries and Fresh Produce, the women had embraced aquaculture as “not only a means of livelihood, but as a transformative tool to reclaim their futures and uplift their communities”.
FARD collaborated with the group in October 2024, refurbishing their fish ponds and stocking them with 2 000 fingerlings.
This was followed by a crucial four-day training programme at the Government’s Henderson Fisheries Unit in November.
“Their success is rooted in knowledge. Through this hands-on training, they learned practical skills, from pond preparation, feeding routines and pond management,” Mr Makumbe said.
Mrs Marry Chigumira, the director of the Unlimited Hope Organisation, a non-governmental organisation which works with marginalised groups, expressed her empathy for the young women.
“When I came to this place, I was touched by these young girls, some as young as 14 years, who had dropped out of school and got pregnant,” she said.
Chantelle Mabande (19), one of the beneficiaries, expressed her gratitude for the programme.
“I would want to thank the Government for this programme, which came at a time I was really in need,” she said, recounting her difficult past.
“I got pregnant at the age of 13 and the man disappeared. As an orphan, I was desperate and got into sex work.”
The women harvested over 300kg of fish with an average weight of 300 grammes.
The produce was quickly sold to waiting customers from the local mining community.
