The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
A local philanthropist and businesswoman Mrs Hazel Herrington-Meares has set aside $50 000 to offer loans to women in Bulawayo to start small businesses.
Mrs Herrington-Meares who is in the country from her Australian base said she found it prudent to assist women as they play an important role in the economy.
“Women are basically the providers, they are currently running many small businesses in the city that are aiding in economic growth. The challenge is that they have little or no funding so I have decided to assist those that I can,” she said.
Mrs Herrington-Meares said she was inspired after interacting with women in the city when she was teaching them skills on entrepreneurship.
“I have trained women before on entrepreneurship and I realised the skill was now there but the funding was lacking so I decided to raise funds that I will now disburse to them,” she said.
The businesswoman said the funds were going to be given to women with deserving projects that are sustainable. She said the women will not have to provide collateral.
“There is no collateral needed for the money, when I started my business I was not told to bring collateral because I did not have any, such is the case with many women, so if we start demanding it they will shy away and not benefit from the funds.
“What we will do is to have a mentor for the women so that they assess the business idea and its viability. This way the women can even get extra funds dependent on their business progress,” she said.
Mrs Herrington-Meares said women lack opportunities only but have bright ideas that can be nurtured. As part of the assistance to women in Bulawayo the businesswoman said she was also emphasising on doing business ethically.
“There is a temptation to compromise when starting a business, you will have laid a wrong foundation already so we will educate women so that they do not take short cuts. Morals and values are also part of what we encourage,” she added.
The loans will be distributed via Destiny Arise, an organisation run by Mrs Herrington-Meares. The organisation empowers women by running small business workshops that provide women with the knowledge, skills, training and financial services they need to launch their businesses into reality.
She said they were targeting to empower 200 women this year. Destiny Arise is running its second business workshop on Friday in Bulawayo under the theme “Empowering Women to create ethically sound businesses.”
“Women who want to benefit will have to become members with Destiny Arise and pay a membership fee of $10. We will also provide them with all the information they need to obtain the loans. Loans will range from $500 to $2 000,” she said.
“Well, we have a big vision and would appreciate it if the business community would partner with us and help us empower women to access financial services and borrow capital for their business and also to provide them with the necessary training they need to develop professional and life skills.”
Mrs Herrington-Meares said she has received support from some well-wishers in Australia and the United States of America.
