The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
WHAT began as a small-time personal empowerment endeavour by a group of women who came together to fight a patriarchal society has since grown to have a membership of over 10 000 Zimbabwean women from all corners of the world.
For ladies that are part of the Qoki Zindlovukazi, not only have they empowered themselves but they have grown to become a charitable organisation which has spearheaded a number of benevolent causes. As their name Qoki — which is a Ndebele word meaning knocking — members of this organisation have not only knocked their way into society but they have indeed made their presence felt.
Sunday News visited their stand at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair where they were exhibiting and met beaming ladies, all wanting to prove a point in society. And their point is simple, women can equally make it in society. To emphasise this point at their exhibition they were showcasing an industry previously believed to be male-dominated — the oils and petroleum sector.
Founded by Miss Sithule Tshuma who is based in the United Kingdom, Qoki is a member-driven women’s organisation that utilises the power of social media to address challenges faced by members and their communities in the diaspora and country of origin. It was founded in December 2016.
The organisation has grown in leaps and bounds and now have members in South Africa, Canada, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland and Zimbabwe. One of the senior directors, Bridget Dube said theirs was to show the rest of society that anything was possible and that they could not only uplift themselves but in the same vein uplift the entire society.
“Qoki is a woman collective group that was formed in UK in 2016 as a social group where as ladies from Matabeleland we felt that we could help each other by providing up to date information about our homes, posting jobs and sharing gossip on things happening around us.
“From where we started, we then realised that we could also use these platforms to benefits us, we also helped each other during difficult times like now during Covid-19 we have formed community groups that help those who are ill with the virus helping them with basic requirements,” said Dube.
She said as women in the organisation they had realised that a woman is a cornerstone in any society hence they had resolved to take the bull by the horns by embarking in projects that will see them have more meaning in society.
“I want to encourage women to stand up and work for themselves. Women must be a part of something which is good which will help us have a meaningful future. Being a woman means uyimbokodo, it means you can put a house in order, you can manage a business better than anyone else out there. Ungazikhangeleli phansi mama, sukuma ubeyimbokodo uqoqode (Do not look down upon yourself women, stand up and be a cornerstone and knock at all opportunities) and look for those opportunities and do well,” she said.
Some of the development projects funded by the organisation are Qoki Zimbabwe Hospital Project, Qoki Tsholotsho Disaster Support, and Qoki various support to individuals with compelling circumstances.
The organisation has been pursuing women economic empowerment through Qoki UK Property Investments, Qoki Zimbabwe Property Investments, Qoki Solar Geyser Project in Zimbabwe, Qoki Cow Project in Zimbabwe, Qoki Borehole Project in Zimbabwe, Qoki Groceries Projects, Qoki Savings Projects, Qoki Birthday Projects and Qoki Investment Group. (Scan the QR code to watch video)
