Online Reporter
Walter Nyamukondiwa in NYAMAKATE
The transformative power of village business units (VBUs) has begun changing the lives of villagers at Hotel Village in Nyamakate (Ward 7) of Hurungwe, where about 100 families are involved in horticulture, beekeeping and fish farming.
With every village homestead connected to running water and five 10 000-litre storage tanks, drawing water from two boreholes, the community on the margins of Chewore National Park has seen standards of living improving.
Through a thriving 1,8ha community garden, an apiary with 23 hives and a fish pond, the villagers see potential for improved livelihoods in line with the Government’s drive for rural industrialisation through village business units.
The Hotel Village community garden has 62 members, while the Hotel Village Apiculture and Aquaculture business units are being run by 44 youths.
Agro-ecology section leader Mrs Visha Pote said the project, still in its nascent stages, was showing great potential.
“The youths have shown zeal to learn and transform their lives through beekeeping and fish farming. We expect that things would improve significantly and impact lives,” said Mrs Pote.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo expressed the Government’s satisfaction with the adoption of VBUs in the province.
“Hotel Village Business Units, which is being supported by Zimparks, should be a model for others in the province because of its potential to transform lives at the village level,” said Minister Chombo.
“With the level of infrastructure invested by Zimparks and its partners, including the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) there is great potential for villagers to make a lot of money. Our arms, such as Zinwa and the department of irrigation, should help the VBU grow.”
Zimparks mid-Zambezi Catchment regional manager, Mr Felix Chimeramombe, said villagers interacting with wildlife should see the transformation of their lives to complement conservation efforts.
The community also has a community hall and access to free Starlink Wifi.
Villagers have, however, called for augmentation of the water supply to ensure sufficient supply to villagers, the fish pond and the community garden.
Village health worker Mrs Sarudzai Muchenje said the supply of tap water had improved the health of villagers in the area.
