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Lupane Women’s Centre chairlady Mrs Sylvia Nyathi signs a $100 000 deal with the United States embassy deputy chief of mission Ms Jennifer Savage (left) in Lupane on Thursday. Looking on are a member of the cooperative (standing left) and US embassy official

Leonard Ncube/Thandeka Moyo, Business Reporters
LUPANE Women’s Centre in Matabeleland North province has received a $100 000 grant from the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) for development of its projects.

The entrepreneurial facility is one of the flagship small scale income generating projects in the country. It was opened in 1994 and is in Lupane  town.

Presenting the grant at a colourful ceremony attended by various stakeholders from the district on Thursday, US embassy deputy chief of mission, Ms Jennifer Savage, said the gesture represents partnership between Zimbabwe and the US.

She said the disbursement of the money will be spread over two years and will be used to boost the centre’s projects such as poultry, handcraft, irrigation and goat production.

“The US through the (USADF) is providing $100 000 over two years to assist Lupane Women’s Development Trust,” she said.

USADF is an independent US government agency established to support African owned enterprises.

“The US shares the desires of the people of Zimbabwe and this support from USADF complements our support to health, agriculture and economic empowerment in Zimbabwe and we hope that it contributes to efforts by women in Lupane to make a positive economic impact to their immediate families and community,” said Ms Savage.

She challenged stakeholders to work together towards development of the project. The funding will enable the organisation to build capacity of its members in governance and marketing.

Linkages for Economic Advancement of the Disadvantaged Trust (LEADT) will provide technical support.

With a membership of 4 549, the centre sells its products locally and internationally. Lupane Women’s Centre was selected out of hundreds of applications countrywide and the grant is expected to boost income generated from projects in Lupane district from $30 000 to $120 000 annually through increased production.

Lupane District Administrator Mrs Ennerty Sithole said the grant should be used wisely towards community development.

“This money should help us develop our community. We are happy as a district because we now have funding for our projects,” she said.

Earlier delegates toured a goat project and irrigation plot run by the centre which will also benefit from the fund.

@ncubeleon