Story by Abigirl Tembo
CHIPINGE – A group of resourceful women in Chipinge has reshaped their destinies by transforming raw crops into market-ready goods, adding value through processing, packaging, and crafting.
What began as basic farming and nutrition gardens in Mt Selinda, Chipinge, has blossomed into a vibrant village business unit specialising in value-added production.
The women now create herbal teas, peanut butter, dried vegetables, crisps, and woven crafts, products that not only extend the shelf life of their harvests but also significantly boost income and economic independence.
“I got married in 2019 and came to live here in Mt Selinda. Life was very difficult because we did not have enough to live on. When I discovered this group, I joined in and started learning how to grow different crops and add value to them. Now I can pay school fees for my children and contribute to my family’s well-being. Life is so much better now,” a parent, Maria Muchena Saungweme said.
“I joined this project in 2020 when my husband retired from work, and suddenly, we were struggling to survive. We started weaving baskets and doing beadwork. We were also growing our crops, and when we later realised we could add value to our crops, we started doing it. I have been able to take my younger children through school and take care of my grandchildren. President Mnangagwa has said we should practice agriculture, and we are doing this and it has really helped change our lives,” an elderly woman, Joice Vhovha Shayachimwe said.
“This project has taught us to work hard to make sure we have food for our families. As women, we no longer wait for men to bring the food, but we also contribute. I have learnt a lot over the years,” Chipo Sithole Mtisi said.
“Before joining this group, we were really facing so many challenges, and life was difficult. I have learnt how to grow various crops such as sweet potatoes, pineapples, cassava, and many others, and how to sell them. I now make enough to take care of my grandchildren, and I am eager to continue learning,” Violet Chemusikadi said.
With support from various ministries, government departments and partners which include Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development; Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Health and Child Care, the Food and Nutrition Council and partners, the village business unit has manged to grow and some of their products are now being showcased at the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, placing their talents and determination on the global map.
“We sell the fresh fruit and vegetables during the season and dry the rest, which we sell later. When we sell, we keep our money together, and we first take care of our daily costs, and we also make sure that we have seeds for the next season. The profit is then used to buy groceries, which we then share equally so that every member has food in their home. We have a group that even bought each other goats because there was an excess. We realised that the value-added stuff we sell gives us more profit than the fresh produce.
“We were introduced to ZimTrade by the Ministry of Women Affairs, and they facilitated our visit to the Fasimo expo in Mozambique, where we sold our wares. We are close to the border with Mozambique, and we now have so many buyers for our products, some travel from Mozambique just to buy from us. Mostly, we sell garlic in Mozambique. We also got a chance to have our products go to Japan, where they were being exhibited at the Osaka expo through ZimTrade,” Mt Selinda, facilitator for Women and Land in Zimbabwe, Mrs Tshiyiwe Sibhula Mhlanga said.
By turning farm produce and handcrafted wares into market-ready goods, this village business unit has not only boosted household incomes but also created a model of rural entrepreneurship that transcends borders and inspires community resilience, highlighting how small-scale innovation supports national ambition.
