Online Reporter
Herald Correspondent
Women’s visions must move from talk to action because they are central to Zimbabwe’s development agenda, Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
Speaking at the inaugural Mukando Wenjere Summit hosted by the Ree Woman Vision Empowerment Network (RWVEN) at Zimbali Gardens in Harare on Saturday, Minister Mutsvangwa said women already lead in homes, businesses and communities but need more support to turn vision into reality.
The summit ran under the theme: “From Vision to Reality – The Power of Women to Lead, Build, and Transform.”
“It is both an honour and a privilege to stand before you today at this important first-of-its-kind Mukando Wenjere Summit,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
“For generations, women have carried visions of families thriving, communities prospering, nations rising. However, too often, those visions were dismissed, ignored, or silenced. Today, we say: ‘No more.’ Women’s visions are now at the core of our development agenda.”
She applauded RWVEN founder Reconciliant Chinhamo, k“This gathering complements our efforts as Government towards women’s empowerment and provides an opportunity for women to share, learn, connect, inspire, and empower one another. It also provides women in business with an opportunity to market their products,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
She emphasised that women have historically been unrecognised leaders and remain critical to national growth.
“Women are builders of homes, enterprises, and nations. In the SME sector, women are the backbone of our economy. They create jobs, sustain families, and drive innovation,” she added.
She noted that the narrative has shifted from “a woman behind every successful man” to “a successful man beside every successful woman.”
“Women are unique and are transformers who turn poverty into prosperity, exclusion into inclusion, and challenges into opportunities,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
With women making up 52 percent of Zimbabwe’s population, she argued they must be empowered economically, socially, politically and legally because they are both producers and caregivers.
The Minister said Government is committed to opening access to finance, training and markets for women-led enterprises.
“As a Ministry, we administer funds with a thrust on economically empowering women, communities, cooperatives and small and medium enterprises,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa listed the Women Development Fund (WDF) and the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank (ZWMB) as vehicles providing affordable loans for income-generating projects. Women also benefit from the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund (ZCDF), which caters for both men and women, and from SMEDCO support for women entrepreneurs.
The summit was attended by ZANU-PF Mashonaland West Provincial Chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, businesswoman and CEO of Mobies Incorporation Moreblessing Dube, and Mindset Coach Jessie Mhaka, founder of BeMindFit.
