The Sunday News
Sibonginkosi Mpofu, Business Reporter
A FAITH-BASED developmental micro-finance institution, Zambuko Trust has partnered a Bulawayo-based women and youth empowerment non-governmental organisation, Upfumi Kumadzimai-Inotho Kubomama to enhance financial inclusion of marginalised groups in the Matabeleland region.
Addressing women and youths at Umzingwane District’s Sigola area in Ward 1 recently, Zambuko Trust development officer Mrs Ellen Matingo said there was a need to avail useful and affordable financial products and services to marginalised groups, notably women and youths so as to improve their livelihoods.
“We are here to empower you financially through offering you flexible financial packages thus we are encouraging you to come up with various income generating projects. Gone are the days when women would sit and wait for the men to provide. It’s high time women rise and initiate their own projects of note being handmade crafts,” she said.
Ward 1 councillor, Catherine Ndebele said lack of financial inclusion has over the years severely affected the livelihoods of most families and the economic growth in her area of jurisdiction.
“Most women and youths in this area harbour ambitions to embark on various income generating projects but lack of capital has always frustrated their efforts. For instance there was a group, which intended to embark on a fence making project last year but ended up giving up on the initiative due to lack of funding and continuous increase of raw material prices,” she said.
One of the villagers, Mrs Thato Mpofu reiterated Clr Ndebele’s sentiments saying: “We lack finances to support our business proposals as well as to grow and marketing the products we want to provide thus we welcome any organisation willing to assist us. We have the skills to embark on various projects.”
Upfumi Kumadzimai-Inotho Kubomama co-ordinator Mrs Nonceba Mwedzi-Agwaniru said apart from initiating a number of programmes aimed at empowering and emancipating women and youths her organisation also linked the same groups to development partners.
“There are huge tracts of arable land here, which can be utilised for cropping but due to the prevailing dry spell most of your crops has wilted. However, you have good grazing land, which you can utilise for the upkeep of livestock thus I urge you to consider embarking in animal husbandry projects,” she said.
