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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Communities must be supported to benefit from natural resources around them to spur rural industrialisation and uplift people’s livelihoods at grassroots level.
This was said by Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises and Community Development Cde Jennifer Mhlanga while assessing the Mvelelo Project at Matshiloni area in Beitbridge’s Ward 4 on Tuesday.
The deputy minister visited Beitbridge to check the state of preparedness of the mashonzha/amacimbi (mopani worms) processing plant, which is run by the Matshiloni community and is set for official opening in the next few weeks.
The project specialises in the processing, packaging and distribution of mopani worms) from Beitbridge and the rest of Matabeleland South Province.
Cde Mhlanga said the Mvelelo Project was a model which could be rolled out to other areas with similar natural resources.
“I am impressed with the state of affairs here and will give feedback to my superiors so that we can officially open this plant on a date yet to be advised, soon,” she said.
“This project is impressive. The state of preparedness is about 99 percent and it is always good to be hands-on as a leader. In essence, this project is a model for rural industrialisation which we can implement in other areas with similar resources.
“You will note that each district is endowed with different resources and it is critical that communities are supported to push the rural industrialisation dream. It is pleasing to note that this community has taken the lead in that aspect. As a country, we have lost a lot in terms of deriving benefits from our natural resources which are exploited by other big multinational entities”
She added: “His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa is always emphasising on economic activities based on wealth creation. We thank the Matshiloni community for taking the lead.”
She said her ministry was working on a host of projects to empower small and medium businesses from grassroots level for them to feed into the national economic vision.
Cde Mhlanga said community projects such as the Mvelelo initiative should be equipped with requisite business management skills, technical and marketing capacity.
“We want this medium entity to grow into a huge corporate entity as we drift towards the envisaged Vision 2030. It is very critical that we give the necessary support to such pro-active Zimbabweans,” she said.
Mvelelo Project chairperson Ms Eunice Maranda said the initiative started in July 2000 with 42 members as a horticulture venture before they decided to upgrade.
“When we started the mashonzha business, we decided to build a warehouse and until we got help from Government and its partners.
“This is a model to empower mostly women around this area, at the same time creating a market for small and medium players involved with the mashonzha business.
“Our marker stretches across Sadc countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa among others,” said Ms Maranda.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter