The Sunday News
Evangelister Kasanzu Business Reporter
THE Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development is linking women in business to markets in South Africa and India after holding crucial preliminary discussions with officials from the countries during last week’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
Acting Director of Women Affairs in the ministry, Mrs Thecla Madziwa, said this year’s exhibition had been a success as they managed to meet other foreign exhibitors who wanted to partner local women in business.
“This year has been a success to us as women as we have met with foreign investors who are interested in partnering us and open up markets in their countries. We met with a stakeholder from South Africa called the Business Support Tourism and Market from Durban South Africa and the other stakeholders are all from China,” she said.
She said ZITF had assisted women in acquiring more knowledge and skills in all the three sectors which are economical, political and social.
“We are here to showcase women products so that they are economically empowered. Every woman has a right to live a better life and we are here to send a message to other women that they can learn to work for themselves and supplement what their husbands bring home. This exhibition has also helped women to interact with other exhibitors and acquire knowledge which will help them improve their lives socially, economically and politically.
“We want to see women being the owners of mines in Zimbabwe and stop mining illegally. We want them to hold good jobs at companies and be independent farmers who are able to transform and improve the economy of the country,” she said.
She said in future they were looking at opening a women’s bank which would offer loans to women as the status quo was not fully benefiting women.
“Most women face challenges in accessing loans from banks. Due to these challenges we are looking forward to opening a Women’s Bank which will offer unrestricted loans to women.”
“As a ministry we are also looking forward to fully empowering women because if a woman is empowered domestic violence can be reduced or totally eradicated,” she said.
A farmer based in Gweru who exhibited under the Ministry of Women Affairs Gender and Community Development, Mrs Esnath Dokotera, said through her business she had managed to grow and contribute to employment creation and the ZITF had added to her knowledge on how to grow in business.
“I have managed to implement the indigenisation policy in my right as I have started employing other people at my farm, so far I have employed 34 people to assist me in my projects and am looking forward to employing more people,” she said.
Mrs Dokotera said women must make use of abundant resources in Zimbabwe to grow their businesses.
“We attended the ZITF to send a message to others and show them that we can make nice products using our local products which are cheap and sometimes we get them for free. We also want to encourage others to use local products because all our resources in the country can be used to make things which are valuable,” she said.
She said the exhibition had managed to assist her in linking with markets from other countries.
“The exhibition has helped me get new customers from India as they are interested in poultry and dry fruits and vegetables.”
