Online Reporter
Muchaneta Chimuka
Features Writer
WOMEN in Seke and Chihota, Mashonaland East Province, are reaping huge rewards through poultry, mushroom farming, beekeeping, maize meal production and fresh produce ventures.
These initiatives under the Survivors in Action Grassroots Women’s Network are proving to be powerful tools in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), drug and substance abuse and poverty, among others.
Beneficiaries are using the proceeds to expand the projects, in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
One of the members, Ms Betty Mashamba said the projects have financially empowered many women.
“We are now independent, empowered women because we no longer rely on our husbands for survival,” she said.
“Asking for money daily can trigger gender-based violence.”
Ms Mashamba highlighted that the support they have been receiving, courtesy of the Huairou Commission, has made a difference.
“They provided us with a grinding mill and project training. We are building sustainable livelihoods and breaking the cycle of dependence,” she added.
The women buy maize, grind it into mealie meal and package it for sale. They aim to scale up production so that every household can access affordable, nutritious mealie meal to curb hunger and malnutrition.
Survivors in Action Grassroots Women’s Network chairperson, Mrs Margaret Nyajina, said they acquired critical skills that have seen them engage in income generating projects.
“We are a group of 10 women from Seke, who were trained in life skills and we are thrilled to finally earn a living through income generating projects. We can now send our grandchildren to school and renovate our homes.
“We have also started a revolving fund with the profits,” she said.
Mrs Edinah Mashora, who is into mushroom farming, narrated how the project has been life-changing to her.
“It only takes three weeks before we start harvesting. The materials that are used in growing mushrooms are affordable. We are earning a lot of money and our lives have been transformed,” she said.
Using proceeds from the enterprise, she built a house and is paying school fees for her children.
In Chihota, members of the Survivors Action Grassroots Women Network are excelling in poultry and beekeeping, thereby fighting poverty in their communities.
The network’s vice chairperson, Mrs Joyce Zharare, said they were not spared from challenges.
“Unavailability of water was a setback. Thanks to the God-given rains, we managed to rejuvenate our projects. We are into beekeeping. Several businesspeople and individuals are coming to buy our honey – they know it is real honey. Fake products, honey included, have flooded the markets,” she said.
Mrs Anesu Mutobwera from Chihota Village under village head Madziva and Chief Chihota, who is into broilers and indigenous chickens said she was targeting to expand the project.
“As rural women we feel blessed – we have plenty of land for our projects, and we survive on revolving funds. The poultry venture brings in quick cash,” she said.
“The chicks just need proper feed, clean water, good ventilation and a tidy environment to keep mortality low. Our goal is to open butcheries and shops so we can sell the meat and eggs to a ready market.”
The Chihota women applauded their village head, Mr Killian Madziva, for his support since the inception of the initiative.
Mr Madziva said climate change was one of the challenges affecting production, but encouraged beneficiaries to venture into value addition to boost income.
“Climate change is real. These women struggled because underground water was scarce. They had to buy water from neighbours after their borehole dried up.
“It wasn’t easy, but they kept going. That is when I decided to support them with beekeeping projects. Now that the rains have come, they are busy with a variety of ventures.”
He underscored that the empowerment of the women was seeing fewer gender-based cases being tried at the chief’s court.
Survivors in Action Grassroots Women Network director, Ms Clara Makwara, said they were grateful to the village head for offering them land for projects.
“The women are marking a milestone with these projects. They are now involved in mealie meal production, mushroom farming, poultry and gardening. Our hope is that they become self-sufficient, which will help reduce GBV in vulnerable communities,” she said.
The organisation is complementing Government efforts in empowering vulnerable communities through income generation projects. The Government is also promoting poultry production through the Presidential Poultry Scheme.
Under the scheme, over 2,4 million chicks have been distributed across the country to achieve food security and nutrition.
