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Fairness Moyana in Hwange

A LOCAL empowerment organisation targeting grassroot economic development has embarked on a nationwide recruitment and capacity building drive.

Action for Empowerment Zimbabwe (AEZ) recently held an induction training in Matabeleland North province.

Speaking during the event the organisation’s president, Mr Alson Darikai said the initiative was formed to address the vacuum that existed in terms of grassroots economic empowerment.

“This membership driven organization was formed after realizing that there was a vacuum in terms of empowerment,” he said.

“We believe in economic empowerment of the masses for the growth of the country’s economy. AEZ offers a platform for collective action. It’s a mouthpiece covering the needs of the people be it access to land, finance or economic development opportunities.”

The initiative has so far managed to enter into several partnerships with private players in the mining, financial, tourism and agricultural sectors.

“There are several economic empowerment efforts in the country. However, we want the benefits to reach wards hence we have set ourselves a target of recruiting 1000 members per ward by December 2022,” said Mr Darikai.

“We should be sitting on a membership base of between 1.8 to two million people. The numbers are for us to be heard for there is power in numbers. We are inspired by President E.D. Mnangagwa’s vision to improve livelihoods hence we also work with the Government of the day.”

Darikai said the initiative since established strategic business units in all key sectors of the economy such as mining, agriculture, energy, financial as well as established special projects for the purposes of sustainability and resource mobilization.

“We are also into lobbying Government in areas such as laws and making available opportunities for citizens to participate in economic development,” he said.