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Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]

Pan-African bank, Ecobank in partnership with Care Zimbabwe and Hand in Hand (HiH) Zimbabwe has launched a US$100 000 programme in Gwanda geared at empowering women and youth with entrepreneurial skills and working capital.

Launched last week on Friday at Sengezani Community Garden in Ward 14, the programme, Enhancing Women’s Economic Empowerment (EWEE) will provide loans to several groups for various projects which include horticulture, poultry and value addition of agro-produce.

Commenting on the programme, HiH chief executive officer Mr Felix Tete said Care was inspired by community projects undertaken by Hand in Hand in Gwanda.

HiH empowered about 36 women and eleven men at Phakamani Garden where a solar-powered drier, a grading facility, fencing and a borehole are already in place.

The garden produces and packages fresh and dried vegetables, butternuts, watermelon, tomatoes among others.

“Care is doing different programs but this particular one is to do with financial inclusion for women and you know entrepreneurs such as rural women are generally excluded from accessing loans from the financial market because of stringent lending conditions,” said Mr Tete.

“So, the EWEE is coming in to bridge that gap where we say we are giving entrepreneurs loans which are manageable and can be paid back over a period of time which is different from a formal market where a US$700 loan can be paid in a month or two but this one we are extending it to six months.”

Image taken from Shutterstock

He said the programme will help those who seek to improve the productivity of their enterprises and it will improve household income and create employment for other locals.

HiH facilitates training for organised groups offering module-based training and one of the modules is opportunity identification and business planning which gives beneficiaries an opportunity to identify types of projects they think are suitable in their communities then HIH will come in and find funding to improve the projects.

HiH said 65 groups will benefit during the first phase which started in September and will operate for six months and the second phase will also benefit 65 groups.

 Care country director Mr Patrick Sikana said the aim of EWEE project is to empower women in groups so that they increase their profits and graduate to individual successful businesses.

Mr Sikana urged groups who will benefit from the EWWE programme to invest in visible projects that will increase income and be in a position to repay loans availed. 

“We also call upon the Government stakeholders particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development to walk the journey with women so that one day they can show others their success from where it started,” said Mr Sikana. — @SikhulekelaniM1.