The Sunday News
Business Reporter
MORE than 3 000 families have managed to improve their livelihoods and enhance income generating levels in the last 17 years through craft and agricultural projects run by Lupane Women’s Centre (LWC) in Lupane, Matabeleland North. LWC was formed in 1997 to improve the lives of rural women through channelling resources to assist them on self-sustainable income generating projects.
In 2004 the organisation received funding from various donors for the construction of its offices and a lodge with conference and catering facilities at the heart of the provincial capital.
The institution started off with 14 members and to date its membership has grown to 3 638 women drawn from all the 28 wards in Lupane.
LWC manager, Mrs Hildegard Mufukare, said most of the institution’s members had managed to improve the livelihoods of their families through returns from selling agricultural produce or craft products.
“The women’s income levels have significantly increased and in an effort to enhance their financial management skills we encouraged them to open bank accounts but this move failed to yield anything as their savings were being eroded by bank charges and as such we are now encouraging them to purchase livestock,” Mrs Mufukare said.
LWC runs programmes in craft ware, goat rearing, beekeeping, nutritional gardens and poultry production.
One of its funders is the Liechtenstein Development Service.
LED development manager, Mr Peter Ritter, expressed satisfaction at the way the institution’s income generation projects had turned the lives of previously poor families.
He said this on the sidelines of LWC and LED’s 10th anniversary celebrations as partners in Lupane recently.
LED has been the institution’s main funding organisation for the past decade.
“We are very satisfied with the developments which have taken place at the centre. It’s not easy to come up with this sort of infrastructure over a short period of time because it requires a substantial financial obligation,” Mr Ritter said.
He said LWC was making considerable headway towards ensuring self-sustainability through acquiring 15 percent from the sale of handmade craft by its affiliated members.
“The centre’s activities are not short term but we are looking at it to deliver service for the next two generations,” Mr Ritter said.
LED has channelled more than $1 million to LWC with the support coming in the form of assets (vehicles and bicycles) or financially in the last 10 years.
“We have over the years given it technical assistance and on the field of operation we have forwarded skilled people to evaluate the feasibility of its project. Three years ago we seconded two of our expatriates to the centre with experience in catering to assist in improving its services to international standards.”
LWC patron, Cde Angelina Masuku, said the institution was playing a pivotal role in ensuring the empowerment and emancipation of the rural communities.
“As the Government of Zimbabwe we recognise the initiative taken by the women of Lupane towards their development. It should be a lesson to many that development should be initiated by the people themselves.
“As the Government we noted the work being done by the women of Lupane and did not find it difficult to give them a long lease of a small plot where they could expand their income generating activities so their programme could be sustainable,” said Cde Masuku who is a senator and former Governor of Matabeleland South.
Cde Masuku said the projects initiated by LWC fitted well in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset) with their agricultural programmes playing a pivotal role in improving food security and nutrients as well as alleviating poverty.
“The Government’s blueprint of economic development, Zim Asset has clusters which LWC has already taken into implementation. The blueprint cannot succeed without funding partners and LED has become the funding partner for the implementation of this blueprint with LWC.
“I recognise that activities are being held to improve food security and nutrition which is a critical element of Zim Asset. The women of Lupane have proved that hard work can ensure they not only have enough but also nutritious food,” she said.
A number of women interviewed by Sunday Business said they had managed to improve their livelihoods and financial capacities through embracing LWC’s projects.
“Since affiliating with the centre in 1995 I have managed to put new infrastructure turning my home into a modern rural homestead and I am now a proud owner of a number of livestock. I am no longer depending on my sons and daughters for upkeep,” said Ms Elizabeth Mpofu (56) of Lupaka village.
LWC has plans to embark on an extensive horticultural project at its 40-hectare plot as well as constructing state-of-the-art fowl runs for the upkeep of 10 000 broilers and layers. It has also set sights on opening a vocational centre.
