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Fairness Moyana recently in Jambezi

THIRTEEN women bound by a shared vision and unwavering resolve, have ventured into a commercial piggery project in Chikandakubi Village in Jambezi, Hwange District, which has                   become a success story, having transformed the lives of members and inspired other women in the locality.

The project was started in 2020 during the height of Covid-19 as a response to the impact of the pandemic on job losses.

The women, trained by Dadani Training Centre, have managed to expand the project from three pigs to 108 and have sold 42 pigs for more than US$4 000.

It has enabled the women to support their families and provide resources for education while reducing gender-based violence, according to the group’s leader, Ms Susan Gwenda (46).

“We started this project in 2020, with three pigs, one male and two females. We were using our millet to feed the pigs before we got assistance from World Vision to build pigsties and enable us to expand the project,” she said.

“Our project has grown and we have 92 piglets, four pokers, 11 breeders and one male. We have managed to sell 42 pigs and realised over US$4 000,” she said.

“This project has economically transformed our lives as we are now able to support our families and our children’s education, something which we couldn’t afford to do in the past. Some of our members have also managed to refurbish their homes and bought household property.

“We also help disadvantaged children with their education and assist the community through the pass-on programme for piglets, to allow them to start their own projects.”

Ms Gwenda said their training by Dadani Training Centre in Victoria Falls has helped them to properly manage the project.

“Another positive thing we have noted about the project is a reduction in cases of GBV, especially among our members. As you may know, lack of money or food in the home often leads to conflict,” said Ms Gwenda.

Ms Gwenda said they were not spared by the El Nino-induced drought and other challenges like market fluctuations and the rising cost of feed.

 “The drought has hit us hard as we did not harvest anything from the fields after the crops were written off. We use millet as part of the stock feed and buy processed stock feed,” she said.

The group has managed to purchase a grinding mill, which it uses to process concentrates and mix them with other locally available feeds.

The project has also helped them to install a piped water system for irrigation, build breeding pens and establish a grinding mill for concentrates. The group’s success has been supported by World Vision Canada.