Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
FOR Ms Lithini Moyo( 20) from Tinde in Binga District, Matabeleland North Province falling pregnant at 19 did not deter her from pursuing her dreams and fending for her daughter.
She is a victim of an early, unintended pregnancy and a failed marriage that only derailed her desire to pursue a higher tertiary qualification but has not given up.
“The father of my child is in Shurugwi, it never worked out, but I came back to Binga to continue with life. I studied and attained five Ordinary levels. I then went to Dete where I attained a certificate in Hospitality and graduated in 2022 and that is when I got pregnant. I wish to continue with my hospitality course and get a higher certificate,” she said.
Determination and hard work led her to enrol for a nutritional garden programme in her village and became part of a bigger group of youths aged between 10 and 24 who are being empowered and are starting income-generating projects.
Ms Moyo, a Social Accountability Monitoring Mentor under the Partnership for Social Accountability (PSA) Alliance Consortium implemented by Action Aid Zimbabwe said she works with various youths from her village and the experience has been life-changing.
“I have 10 network members that I work with in this garden. We started growing vegetables this year in March. We planted tomatoes, onions, chomolia and green peppers with the help of Basilwizi Trust (Binga-based NGO). We meet every Saturday and tend to the garden at 5am so that we can get water. Water is a challenge here that is why we do it early when there is still a lot of it,” she said.
The water source, a hole in the middle of a dry river is shared between community members for drinking, washing, cooking, bathing and watering gardens and with animals who have no alternative source of water.
“We need to dig another well and scoop out the mud and be able to get more water for our gardens. The water quickly runs out. When the levels are too low we have to get water using an ox-drawn cart from Digu area, which is over six kilometres away from here,” said Ms Moyo.
The gardens not only provide the youths with a source of food but also generate income for them as they sell their produce to the local Tinde community.
“We sell our vegetables and get money. We use the money for various things and we also support the less fortunate people in our community. We buy pens, books and school socks for those from poor families attending school. I also use the money for the upkeep of my baby, I buy diapers, fruit juices and porridge,” said Ms Moyo.
She urged her counterparts to work hard and fulfill their goals and dreams despite any setbacks in life.
“Youths need to work hard. They should find income-generating projects if they are not in school. Many options are available for them. We did not know as we grew up that we could do projects as young people and earn a living. We had left all that to the adults but now, we are taking charge. We no longer ask our parents for money to spend as we are generating it on our own, courtesy of the training that we received from PSA Alliance Consortium,” she added.
Under the Partnership for Social Accountability (PSA) Alliance Consortium, efforts are being made to increase the participation of citizens particularly marginalised groups such as young people and women smallholder farmers in setting the national agenda as well as strengthening the ability of all stakeholders to collectively identify Public
Resources Management (PRM) issues and act to address these.
In Binga and Mutoko, Action Aid Zimbabwe (AAZ) has been playing its part towards ensuring the attainment of economic and climate justice for all within the country, reflected by taking sides with the people living in poverty through partnership with local Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), national and international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the media, various tiers of Government and other like-minded organisations in the country. —@NyembeziMu
Online Reporter