Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Government is continuously coming up with initiatives that facilitate access to finance and promotion of linkages for women entrepreneurs locally, regionally and internationally as it seeks to expose them to markets through participation at various fora.
Milestones centering on women empowerment continue to be achieved in the Second Republic since 2018 as the country moves towards Vision 2030 in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
In an interview, Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni said various programmes were being carried out to promote market linkages for women entrepreneurs.
“There is an online programme that was launched by Comesa last year called 50 million African Women Speak Platform (50MAWSP). The platform is an information and networking hub for women which provides a one-stop shop for them to start, grow and scale up their businesses and to access financial and non-financial services,” said Dr Nyoni.
“In the last three months we have linked over 120 women entrepreneurs to markets locally, regionally and internationally using the platform, while many more will be. The platform enables these women to find information on how to run businesses, where to access financial services, how to create business opportunities online and where to access training resources, among others.”
She said as a Ministry their quest was to open up more avenues for women empowerment, realising the broader role that women play in the growth of the economy in the country.
Dr Nyoni said in collaboration with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), women entrepreneurs continue to get assistance with improving the quality of their products so that they compete on the global market.
She said: “The trainings on quality of their products have proven to be fruitful. We sent out some women to showcase their products at the Mozambique trade fair and so far from the feedback that we are getting a group of women from Chipinge got an order from Australia of about 400 bags, among other opportunities.”
The Minister said this was testament that Zimbabwean women entrepreneurs’ products could penetrate even bigger markets, hence the need to encourage women to acquire SAZ certification and quality standards of processed products.
Dr Nyoni said the obligation of the Ministry was to create a conducive and enabling environment that promotes the development and growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives.
“To contribute towards the achievement of Vision 2030, the Ministry is mandated to empower women, communities, co-operatives and small and medium enterprises through different interventions. Such interventions include funding, market linkages and training in business management and technical skills, establishing decent workspaces for women and SMEs as well as maintaining standards and product quality,” added the Minister.
One of the beneficiaries of the market linkage programme, Mrs Sithabile Dube of Pumula South suburb said she had acquired much knowledge through the various training programmes she has attended facilitated by the Ministry.
“I have seen much improvement in my arts and craft business model due to the various trainings l have attended. There seems to be keen interest in our products from the local, regional and international markets.”
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