Story by Tafara Chikumira
GWERU – THE Children of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association has begun the registration of its members for the disbursement of the Presidential Empowerment Fund, amid indications that more schemes are set to be rolled out to uplift livelihoods of children of veterans of the struggle.
The revolving empowerment fund, which was launched in Gweru last week, is now ready for distribution as the association is putting some modalities to ensure the funding does not end up in the wrong hands.
Association Chairperson, Cde Phenius Makombe, said registration is underway, and the distribution model will be implemented from the grassroots to ensure accountability and inclusivity.
“We are currently registering children of war veterans, and our approach is bottom-up. Every child of a war veteran is eligible. We will prioritise those with viable project proposals so that the seed capital can revolve and benefit more members.”
The launch of the scheme has generated significant interest, with further empowerment opportunities expected to follow.
“What we witnessed in Gweru was the launch of a broader empowerment initiative. The President has pledged continued support. We expect to receive agricultural equipment, including tractors, as part of additional empowerment packages,” Cde Makombe said.
He stressed the importance of transparency in the utilisation of the initial fund, noting that its success would determine the extent of future government support.
Government launched the Presidential Empowerment Scheme for children of veterans of the liberation struggle last week, where a total of US$500 000 was availed for the association to kick-start empowerment projects.*
