Story by Tafara Chikumira, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE ZANU PF Women’s League is taking the training of its members to another level, amid indications that the organ is pushing for the setting up of industries for mass production of essential commodities in rural communities in line with the rural industrialisation drive.
The training programme, which is transforming communities for the better is geared for a major breakthrough as it seeks to close the import bill through establishment of industries that will produce essential products in huge quantities.
The league’s leadership revealed the ambitious plans at the graduation ceremony of over 500 women in Chiundura after they had undergone a training exercise in various self-help projects this Wednesday.
“We have come along with our training programmes. It’s time we go beyond the normal training for ourselves. The initial phase was meant to ensure that you produce for your households. We wanted you to have clean homesteads and make some small income. It’s time to go big. We will be initiating the setting up of industries in your communities where you come together and showcase your skills for mass production,” asserted ZANU PF Women’s League Secretary, Honourable Mabel Chinomona.
“We can’t continue importing soap and petroleum jelly when we have the skills to do so at our disposal. Organise yourselves and put together funding for raw materials and leave the rest to us so that you go commercial. We also have financial institutions like the women bank to make sure this becomes a reality,” she added.
Some of the women who benefited from the training programme are anticipating life changing experiences from the exercise.
“From this training I am seeing myself as a businessperson. I want to set up a tuckshop where i will sell some of the products that I personally produce. This will help maximise on profits and hopefully my business will grow,” noted one of the beneficiaries.
“I can foresee doing great in supplying local businesses with essential commodities. This will help me raise funding for my grandchildren and pay my bills. This project has given me hope at my age and I believe I can make it,” said another beneficiary.
While another added, “From this moment, I see myself as an independent woman. I foresee myself being able to fend for the family on some essentials. I need to relieve my husband of part of the burden since I have been empowered. I want to thank our leadership for coming up with such projects.”
ZANU PF Women’s League National Commissar, Senator Maybe Mbowa says such projects are being made possible by the Second Republic.
“The power that we hold as women is very significant. If we tell our husbands and our children what to do on the 23rd of August, believe you me it will be done. We also constitute the majority of voters and as such we hold the keys,” Senator Maybe Mbowa reiterated.
“Let’s go out there and make our President proud. He has given us empowerment projects and has given us slots in positions of authority and it’s our turn to say thank you,” she went on.
The ZANU PF Women’s League took the opportunity to introduce the party’s National Assembly candidate for Chiundura, Cde Sleiman Kwidini and several councillors who will represent the revolutionary party on the 23rd of August general elections.
