US$3m Women’s Fund announced ahead of Independence celebrations

Joseph Madzimure

AS the nation prepares to commemorate its 45th Independence celebrations on Friday, President Mnangagwa is set to avail a US$3 million revolving Presidential Women’s Fund, a landmark initiative aimed at empowering women across the country.

This fund is part of President Mnangagwa’s broader vision to drive economic development and support women’s empowerment programmes.

Furthermore, the initiative recognises women as the backbone of the nation’s progress and seeks to equip them with the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy.

The fund will focus on skills development and provide financial support for women-led projects in sectors such as mining, agriculture, tourism, and entrepreneurship.

These points were highlighted yesterday when Zanu PF Secretary for Women Affairs, Cde Mabel Chinomona, spoke after handing over an incubator to the Harare Province Women’s League.

She said the foundation of Vision 2030 lies in the empowerment of women.

“Women should actively engage in national development to help drive the nation towards its goals,” Cde Chinomona said.

“In terms of funding, we are going to receive more funding than others because we constitute the majority in Zimbabwe.”

At the event, Cde Chinomona commissioned a newly installed solar-powered incubator, an innovative project set to benefit women and the broader community.

This aligns with President Mnangagwa’s vision for a prosperous Zimbabwe by 2030 and is part of the league’s nationwide development programme, which includes 10 solar-powered incubators for all provinces with a combined capacity of 36 000 eggs.

During her address, Cde Chinomona also emphasised the importance of respecting unity within the party, again highlighting President Mnangagwa’s vision for 2030.

She encouraged women to work hard and utilise their skills to feed their families, echoing the President’s mantra that no place will be left behind in development.

The solar-powered incubator will enable communities to hatch eggs for free, following the recent distribution of chicks.

Cde Chinomona noted that this initiative aligns with the party’s commitment to uplifting communities.

“As Zimbabwe works towards achieving Vision 2030, the party remains committed to uplifting communities and fostering a brighter future for all Zimbabweans,” she said.

Cde Chinomona urged women to exercise high levels of discipline, cautioning that “any efforts to undermine the Presidium will invite severe consequences.”

“We should be guided by the party constitution; anything outside that is tantamount to the abuse of the name of the party for your own personal gains. Women should be at the forefront in pushing for empowerment projects across the country.”

Cde Chinomona urged women in leadership positions to recruit young women into strategic roles. She congratulated Cde Tsitsi Tawomhera for winning the Glen View South National Assembly seat in the by-election held on Saturday.