The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Developments has funded 31 women-oriented projects to the tune of ZW$24 million that are dedicated to capacitating women empowerment projects and gender-based violence initiatives.
Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Developments, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni told Cabinet that the projects that are dotted around Zimbabwe are benefiting hundreds of women in terms of training and development.
“The Ministry is funding 31 women projects worth ZW$24.8 million through the Women Development Fund in the Mashonaland Central and Harare Metropolitan provinces, with 109 women directly benefiting and a further 400 people benefiting indirectly,” she said.
The Minister said 434 women were trained on the Establishment of Women Empowerment Clubs in the Matabeleland South, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East provinces. The training areas include leadership, business management, financial literacy, value addition and family health.
Dr Nyoni said a One Stop Centre for Victims of Gender-Based Violence that is under construction at Mpilo Central Hospital is 65 percent complete, with the casting of the concrete slab for the building which houses the Centre now complete.
The one stop center will house counseling, Police Victim Friendly Unit, and medical, legal and administrative services at one place to ensure that survivors are assisted at one place.
The ministry has also targeted 100 beneficiaries have been trained under the Transformation of Community Groups from Informal Livelihood Projects into Formal Enterprises in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces.
“The programme is now being cascaded to other groups while at the same time the trained groups are supported to certify their products with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe; and a total of 241 small to medium-scale entrepreneurs from Zvishavane (51), Gokwe South (53), Makoni (82) and Chimanimani (52) were trained on entrepreneurship and business management skills,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Honourable Dr Kirsty Coventry told Cabinet that the progress recorded for projects under her purview included youth empowerment programs.
Dr Kirsty Coventry
“Under the Empower Bank and Mhuri Tobacco Youth Business Starter Pack Project, 164 youths were supported in tobacco production on 110 hectares of land in Hurungwe District, Mashonaland West Province, and the young farmers have delivered their produce to the auction floors.
Under the Youth Drug and Substance Abuse Awareness Project, campaigns were held in six out of the country’s ten provinces,” she said.
Under the Skills Outreach Programme, a total of 2 215 youths were trained, surpassing the targeted 2 000.
Minister Coventry said regarding the Women and Girls Sport Festivals, a total of 16 708 women and girls participated in festivals which have so far been conducted in 73 districts, while 1 825 Women and Girls Clubs have been established in most of the country’s wards.
On the Kanyemba Arts and Culture Centre Project, all the preparatory work for implementation of the project has been completed, including regularisation with the Local Authority she said. -@NyembeziMu
