Online Reporter
Online Reporter
DEFENCE Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has hailed Prevail Group of Companies for driving financial inclusion through the newly launched Talk and Pay Microfinance.
Officiating at the launch in Harare on Friday night, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri described the initiative as a practical and affordable bridge towards Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.
“Your decision to launch and introduce this product is a very strong statement of the confidence that you place in Zimbabwe’s economy and Vision 2030 in particular,” she said.
She applauded Prevail Group for aligning with the Second Republic’s development agenda, highlighting its involvement in key national projects.
“We commend Prevail Group of Companies for their unwavering commitment to contributing to our national development agenda. The group has expanded beyond commercial enterprise. Its involvement in the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, Village Business Units, the
Presidential Hospitals Rehabilitation Programme and War Veterans Housing Scheme is a clear demonstration of alignment with His Excellency’s all-inclusive social development agenda,” she said.
Financial inclusion, she also said, remains integral to national development as many Zimbabweans remain unbanked.
“It is in this regard that NDS2 explicitly directed the financial sector to bridge these gaps. Today, we commend Prevail Group for its newly established Talk and Pay Microfinance institution,” she said.
She commended the product’s simplicity and accessibility, with loans starting from as low as US$50.
“What struck me most about this product is its purposeful simplicity. We often speak of financial inclusion in broad terms. Talk and Pay Microfinance has made it specific, practical and affordable,” she emphasised.
She further noted that the institution targets MSMEs, civil servants, private sector employees and the uniformed forces.
“As the Minister of Defence, I was glad to learn that men and women in the security sector are set to benefit from this loan facility. Many a time, this special sector is excluded from mainstream financial products,” she said.
“Once again, we applaud Prevail Group for being innovative, creative and bold to go where the mainstream financial sector has been unwilling to go.”
In his remarks, Prevail Group chairperson Dr Paul Tungwarara said President Mnangagwa had inspired Talk and Pay Microfinance.
“When we came up with this idea, we were inspired by the President’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind. We looked at what the President has done so far, for example, we have the village business units in rural areas. These are the people who deserve capital for their projects, which transform their lives. So, in terms of the support we are providing, we are looking at all spheres of society, from small-scale farmers to vendors, civil servants and everyone who needs support. We are not leaving anyone behind because we are doing this for the President.”
Ministers Tatenda Mavetera (ICT, Postal and Courier Services), Charles Tavengwa (Harare Metropolitan Province) and Deputy Minister Mercy Dinha (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare) were among the dignitaries at the event.
At the event, Dr Tungwarara donated 30 tonnes of rice and another 30 tonnes of cooking oil for Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri to hand over to the armed forces.
