Huge boost for Epworth women

Sunday Mail Reporter

WOMEN in Epworth are set to benefit from economic empowerment projects meant to ensure self-sufficiency and food security at household level.

The empowerment programmes were launched by First Lady Auxilla Mnangagwa in partnership with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in the satellite town yesterday.

The programme will see women from Epworth’s seven wards being trained in cooking, sewing, candle manufacturing and detergent-making.

Acting Provincial Development Officer in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Mr Ernest Chimbodza said structures were already in place to implement the programme.

“On Tuesday next week, we will be training the women on basic business management so that they have the knowhow to effectively manage the various projects that they will be undertaking,” he said.

“We have selected 20 women from each ward in Epworth to be part of the cooking project, while 20 from each ward will be under the sewing project.

Further, an additional 20 women from all the wards will be trained in candle-making, while an equal number will be trained in detergent-making.

“The purpose of the training is to promote self-sufficiency and food security at household level.

“We also want to eradicate early marriages which are rampant in this area through self-empowerment,” said Mr Chimbodza.

The project follows a recent visit to the satellite town by the First Lady, where she was apprised of the rising cases of drug abuse, prostitution and child marriages caused by abject poverty and idleness in the town.