TSURO Trust champions ward-based women empowerment

 

Spren Mutiwi
Correspondent

A CHIMANIMANI community-driven organisation is championing ward based empowerment of women and marginalised rural communities through gender and social inclusion advocacy, economic-driven initiatives, and poverty eradication programmes.

Joining the global celebration of International Women’s Day, TSURO Trust honoured the resilience, rights, and economic strides of women and girls at Bumba Secondary School in Ward Seven of Chimanimani District recently.

This vibrant landscape falls under the Nature+ Project, funded by the Canadian FoodGrains Bank through Global Affairs Canada and Alongside Hope.

The event was graced by female traditional leader, Ms Judy Mhizha, who passionately highlighted the crucial role of women in community development, and the power of female collaboration in building a more inclusive society.

Held under the theme: “Raising Awareness on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence through Sport, Development, and Wellness,” the celebrations were filled with poetry, drama, and sporting activities— emphasising the vital link between health, wellness, and women’s empowerment.

Acting Chimanimani District Development Coordinator, Mr Elisha Mushayavanhu, underscored how climate change disproportionately affects women, and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to uplifting women’s status by 2030.

He urged women to actively engage in economic empowerment projects to combat the effects of climate change.

“Women are more vulnerable, and are the most affected by the negative effects of climate change, and as such Government is fully committed to address these challenges to enable women to attain their full empowerment potential. We implore women to fully participate in development initiated programmes being rolled out by Government and its development partners. This is one of the first steps that will reduce the burdens shouldered by women,” said Mr Mushayavanhu.

Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training’s Bumba ward co-ordinator, Mr Lovemore Chikara, emphasised the importance of ward-based sports and wellness initiatives as tools to combat drug and substance abuse and early marriages.

“We want to appreciate the unique International Women’s Day celebrations organised by TSURO Trust in its area of operation. What makes the celebration more unique is the incorporation of different sporting activities, featuring both the young women and youths. Such activities help the group in fighting drug and substance abuse,” he said

Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Chimanimani District officer, Mrs Rudo Marange, reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to breaking barriers hindering women’s empowerment.

“The ministry is very much alive to the challenges that continue to affect total women development, and as such projects and initiatives have been established in order to upscale women empowerment and rights.

“We are also celebrating gender equality, and the inclusion of women and girls in the development projects within their areas. Our focus is to attain all women’s rights, girls and realise total empowerment,” she said.

Community leaders, including lead farmers and gender champions, creatively illustrated the connection between agriculture and violence-free homes through poetry, drama, and powerful written messages displayed at the venue.

Mr Samuel Chimbarara, from Chikukwa Ecological Community Land Use Organisation, encouraged participants to embrace tree planting as a means to Restore, Re-green, Reclaim, and Regenerate the environment.

“Let us all be deliberate that we plant a tree every year and work towards reclaiming our depleted environment which have been adversely affected over many decades,” noted Mr Chimbarara.

TSURO Trust’s project coordinator, Ms Tafadzwa Chipato, reiterated the organisation’s dedication to complement Government’s efforts by designing programmes that address the unique needs of women and girls.

“We have incorporated Government’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind in ensuring that women empowerment becomes a reality, and for the women in Nemakonde Landscape, we want them to be a shining model of an economically empowered community through the different interventions being rolled out under the Nature+ project.

“Today, we are leveraging on the common and unifying sporting activities, which have brought all men and women together, by staging these sporting activities we want to stimulate women to take charge of their lives and break the societal barriers and achieve total women and girls empowerment,” she added.