18/05/2024
MARONDERA : ZWAN Empowers Women and Youth through Presidential Poultry Program
In a significant stride towards empowering women and youth in agriculture, the Zimbabwe Women Agribusiness Network (ZWAN) through the assistance of Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MLAFWRD), distributed indigenous chicks to over 350 women under the Presidential Poultry Program. This event, held in Marondera yesterday, was led by Mrs. P. Jaya, the Executive Director of ZWAN, an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development.
The Acting Chief Director ARDAS, Mr. L. Munamati, praised ZWAN's leadership and highlighted the program's potential to uplift the lives of women and youth. "Women should use the land they are given and ensure there is zero hunger," he emphasized, urging the beneficiaries to maximize the opportunity provided by the presidential scheme.
Honorable Mutokonyi, MP for Marondera East Constituency, lauded the initiative for giving women a voice and breaking records in agriculture. He encouraged the women to diligently care for their poultry projects to improve their livelihoods.
Mrs. Jaya motivated the women to nurture the mixed-breed chickens, emphasizing the program's alignment with President E.D. Mnangagwa's vision of self-sufficiency. "Women, it is time that we support our President E.D. Mnangagwa through using our own hands," she declared.
The program has garnered positive responses from participants. Gladys D***o, ZWAN's secretary, described the organization as a blessing that has significantly uplifted women's lives, aligning with the vision 2030 through agriculture. Edith Machinga, chair lady for livestock nationwide, noted the transformative potential of the poultry, as selling mature chickens would enable women to support their families and send their children to school. "ZWAN is empowering women and giving them confidence that they can achieve a lot through their hands," she said.
Participant Naome Bobjan expressed gratitude for the program, highlighting its impact on their ability to achieve more with the resources provided. ZWAN's joint ventures and commitment to President Mnangagwa's vision of inclusivity were evident to the mantra _'leaving no one and no village behind'_ towards Vision 2030.
Mr. Munamati stressed the importance of strategic advice to pe*****te the market and uplift farming, with ZWAN playing a crucial role in this empowerment. He reminded the recipients that the chickens are part of the presidential initiative aimed at driving progress and urged them to use the resources effectively. Follow-ups and monitoring will be conducted to ensure productivity and success.
"This is not just about distributing resources but ensuring they are utilized to produce tangible results," he concluded. "We don't want to allocate these resources to unproductive people but to people who understand that farming is a business."
The Presidential Poultry Program under ZWAN marks a pivotal effort to empower women, fostering agricultural development and contributing to the broader goal of zero hunger and economic self-reliance in Zimbabwe.
ZWAN- ' *creating millionaire women by 2030* ' everywhere everyday!
Obert Jiri Vangelis Haritatos Zimbabwe Women's Microfinance Bank Phillipa Jaya Zimbabwe Women Agribusiness Network -ZWAN
