Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Zimpapers Business Hub
ABOUT 123,250 women have been capacitated in different sectors through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in 2024—a development aimed at empowering women and improving their participation in the mainstream economy.
The ministry, in its recently published 2024 performance report, said women empowerment projects were done in partnership with the Women Microfinance Bank (Women’s Bank) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation (SMEDCO).
“The ministry, in a combined effort with the Zimbabwe Women’s Bank, capacitated 123,258 women in detergents and petroleum jelly making; piggery and poultry production; beverages making; food processing, floor polish making, sanitisers and perfume production, amongst others,” reads the report.
“The department trained 112,339 women, and the Bank managed to train 10,919 women.”
According to the report, the Midlands is leading with about 21,863 women benefiting from the capacitation programmes, followed by Masvingo with 16,817 and Mashonaland West with 14,095.
Bulawayo Province recorded the least, with 3,157 beneficiaries, followed by Harare Province with 6,005, and Manicaland with 6,979.
Meanwhile, the ministry said 3,139 clubs were established and strengthened, with over 5,000 members capacitated and linked to funding.
“Women Empowerment Clubs are the vanguard of development, as all other ministries and stakeholders can channel their development programmes through these clubs,” said the ministry.
“A total number of 3,139 clubs were established and strengthened, with over 5,000 members capacitated and linked to funding. The training was done in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Women’s Micro-Finance Bank and SMEDCO.
“This programme aims to empower women at grassroots level and promote income-generating activities in order to improve livelihoods and alleviate poverty.”
Training was conducted in various areas, which include leadership, detergent making, business skills, financial literacy, poultry, marketing, product certification, packaging and branding, gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriage prevention, and health issues, among others.
The ministry is also implementing sustainable women and youth enterprise development projects funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), with technical advice from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Under this project, the National Handicraft Development and Marketing Centre is one of the programmes being funded.
The ministry said the National Handicraft Development and Marketing Centre (NHDMC) was placed under the administrative auspices of the ministry in 2023, with the Community Development Department being given oversight over the Centre.
“On the 11th of September 2024, the Honourable Minister oversaw the inauguration of a substantive Board for the Centre, the first since 2017,” reads the report.
“In 2024, the NHDMC managed to realise the following achievements: the target for the budget year 2024 was US$6,000, however, producers earned more than double the anticipated amount, with a total of US$11,156.28 being paid out to crafters as of 31 December 2024.
“Income generated from local galleries exceeded a target of ZWG16,081.69, with total earnings from galleries being ZWG345,332.68, and export sales reached US$7,515 against a target of US$7,200.”
