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First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe

Herald Reporters
Zanu-PF Women’s League members receiving training in various provinces on chicken rearing initiated by the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe have hailed her vision for furthering the empowerment of women saying that was key to the development of the country.

Dr Mugabe is set to donate 30 000 chicks to Zanu-PF Women’s League members in the country’s 10 provinces with each province being allocated 3 000 chicks.

Before the chicks are dispatched to the provinces, Dr Mugabe said the women should be trained to curb losses.

The Zanu-PF Women’s League, in partnership with Irvine’s, a giant in the poultry industry, started the chicken training programme on Tuesday in Matabeleland North province and the training moved to Bulawayo yesterday.

The Bulawayo training was conducted at a city hotel in the morning and another lesson was held in Mpopoma suburb later in the day.

The Bulawayo Women’s League provincial chairperson, Cde Eva Bitu, showered praises on Dr Mugabe, saying women in the province should be pro-active and emulate the First Lady.

She said the First Family was running a successful dairy, among other projects which women should learn from. Cde Bitu said the poultry project should unite women for a common cause.

“As Bulawayo province, we want to thank umama, the First Lady who was graceful enough to initiate this poultry project, which is going to open our minds as women,” she said.

“We believe this project is going to come in handy for us as we head towards the 2018 elections.

“Because the training targets women from district, branch to cell level, it will keep us organised and working together.”

Zanu-PF’s national consultative member Cde Molly Mpofu said the chicken project was a stepping stone, as women hoped that the First Lady would assist them in other projects.

In Masvingo, training in poultry production and management started at Rodger Halman Hall in the city yesterday, with more than 250 women from the Women’s League turning up for the First Lady’s initiative.

Thousands of women, mainly Zanu-PF members, from across Masvingo province will benefit from the programme that would see an initial 3 000 chicks being distributed across the province.

The women were drawn from five of the province’s seven districts namely Bikita, Gutu, Masvingo, Chivi and Mwenezi.

Training of an additional 100 women from Zaka and Chiredzi will be held at Rupangwana Training Centre in Chiredzi today.

In an interview, Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial Women League chairperson Cde Veronica Makonese said the training covered ruling party district leaders who were in turn expected to train their colleagues at ward and cell levels.

“We are expected to have about 200 Zanu-PF women leaders here today (yesterday), but the numbers have been overwhelming because no one wants to be left out from programmes spearheaded by our mother, Dr Amai Mugabe,” she said.

“Our mother, Amai Mugabe has shown us that she is one person who is always thinking about how to improve our lives. We are lucky to have a caring mother who is not lazy and relaxed, but will do everything to make sure that her flock is well catered for.”

Cde Makonese said women in the province were grateful to have Amai Mugabe as their leader.

“We also want to thank our father, President Mugabe, for supporting our mother so that she can in turn help us,” she said.

Irvine’s Zimbabwe Technical Sales Representative Mr John Mukota, who conducted the training programme, said the courses covered included setting up of proper housing for a chicken rearing project, business management and the financial side of the business.

In Manicaland, the training was carried out at Hot Springs, Chimanimani District, with the women receiving training from Irvine’s and National Foods.

The training was attended by women from districts such as Chipinge, Chimanimani, Zimunya-Marange and Buhera, while war veterans, war collaborators and members of the civil service also attended.

Yesterday’s programme set the tone for the rolling out of the second project after women in the district received a first batch of 1 000 chicks some time ago, which they kept and sold before passing capital to fresh beneficiaries to start new projects.

Zanu-PF Manicaland Women’s League provincial chairperson Cde Estery Madhuku challenged women to show their appreciation of the programme, by being honest and avoiding corrupt practices that would deprive others of the chance to improve their socio-economic situations.

“The project should benefit everyone from the province, district and ward right down to the cell level, so that Government’s Zim-Asset is upheld to benefit all,” she said.