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Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]

Ms Sharon Tukwayo (24) from Tukwayo Village under Chief Njelele in Gokwe South is proud to be paying school fees for three children in her area as she has already mastered the art of social responsibility towards the needy in her community.

Ms Tukwayo, a mother of one, is a goat farmer who has a four-hectare piece of land to her name among other rewards she is getting from her line of business.

After disposing of 10 goats last month to raise capital for the other projects she is undertaking, she now has 23 goats and employs one herd man to look after her wealth.

She says she is a proud goat farmer and is looking at investing into more considering that she has made enough profits to buy herself land after just a year since she started the goat business.

“I’m a goat farmer based in the Chief Njelele area and this is a venture that is changing my life for the better. I don’t regret turning this corner because we can’t all be going out looking for jobs becoming employees. I have always wanted to be an employer and with the increase of my goats, I’ll employ more people and also pay for more underprivileged children so that they have a better future. It’s about assisting each other,” said Ms Tukwayo.

She is a beneficiary of Campaign for Female Education (Camfed), a non-governmental organisation that supports girls’ education in Zimbabwe.

Camfed builds a network of support around each girl, providing her with tailored support during school, beyond school, and into her future.

With no land of her own before embarking on this project, Ms Tukwayo has been utilising a portion from her parent’s homestead.

But through hard work and sheer determination, she is working on expanding the goat keeping venture into a commercial project.

 

“I started with 12 goats and they have since increased in number. In between, I’ll be selling some while the pregnant ones will be giving birth. So while selling some, some will be giving birth and that way I have managed to stay afloat,” she said.

Ms Tukwayo is one of the many new young farmers in the country who are recognising the financial freedom opportunities that farming offers.

“It is through hard work and determination. I have this eagerness to make a difference and that led me to purchase a four-hectare piece of land among other things. On that piece of land, I’m thinking of commercial goat keeping so that I contribute towards the growth of this area and the district at large,” said Ms Tukwayo.

She is also a member of Nyarupakwe Small Livestock Farmers Association based in Chief Njelele’s area.

Ms Tukwayo said as farmers, they are also embracing farming as a business philosophy that is being pushed by the Government in line with the National Development Strategy (NDS 1).

“I acquired all this knowledge about goat keeping from Camfed because I started off as a member of Nyarupakwe Small Livestock Farmers Association. As an association of mainly young women from this area, the NGO gave us a grant and we bought 21 goats and through savings from the money we shared, I started my own side hustle in July last year and am basking in the glory of goat keeping,” she said.

Ms Tukwayo said she has had to deal with many challenges such as diseases which kill goats for her to be where she is now.

“Apart from diseases, we face other challenges, such as prematurity and other causes of death. Despite these challenges, I continued to work towards making this project a success because with the training from Camfed on sustainable agricultural practices, we managed to improve goat production and increase profits,” she said.

Mr Tawanda Chataka, Gokwe South District Agritex officer, said the Tongwe cluster, located near Gwamure Secondary School in Gokwe South is a community-based organisation that focuses on sustainable agricultural practices.

“The group started goat production in 2021 after receiving a grant of $1 150 from Camfed, a non-governmental organisation that supports girls’ education in Zimbabwe. Camfed builds a network of support around each girl, providing her with tailored support during school, beyond school, and into her future. The grant helped them to purchase 21 goats,” he said.

Mr Chataka said however, the group faced challenges in the form of diseases, which led to the death of five goats.

Despite these challenges, he said, the group continued to work towards their goal of improving their livelihoods and empowering vulnerable schoolchildren through the profits generated from goat production.

“The Tongwe cluster started goat production in 2021 with 21 goats, which they purchased using a grant from Camfed. The group had received training from Camfed on how to care for the goats and manage their production. However, they faced challenges in the form of diseases, which led to the death of five goats. 

“The group took measures to prevent further deaths by vaccinating the remaining goats and improving their housing and feeding conditions. These measures proved effective, and the group was able to increase their goat population to 32,” he said.

Mr Chataka said despite the challenges faced by the Tongwe cluster, the project has had a significant impact in the community adding that the group has been able to generate income from the sale of goats, which they plan to use to support vulnerable schoolchildren in the community.

He said the group has 15 members, and each member has received educational support from Camfed, which has helped them to improve their skills and knowledge in agriculture.

“The group also plans to expand their goat production and train other community members on sustainable agricultural practices. The Tongwe cluster’s goat production project has had a positive impact on the community. Despite the challenges faced by the group, they have persevered and continue to work towards their goal of improving their livelihoods and empowering vulnerable schoolchildren,” he said.

Mr Chataka said the group’s success has been made possible through the support of Camfed, which has provided them with training and grants.

He said the project serves as an example of how sustainable agriculture can be used to improve livelihoods and support education in rural communities.  — @pchitumba1