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First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Zanu-PF Women’s League has trained more than 10 000 of its members in poultry management in a move expected to turnaround the lives of women countrywide. The training of trainers programme is being done under an initiative by the Women’s League secretary and First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe that will see more than 30 000 birds being distributed to members across Zimbabwe.

The First Lady came up with the poultry project as a way of empowering women. The training and technical support programme is being conducted by Irvine’s, the country largest poultry producer. According to Irvine’s technical advisor Mrs Sisa Mpofu, the programme, which started in August, would be completed at the end of the month. She was speaking during the training of 200 women at Beitbridge District Club on Tuesday. “We are providing the training to at least 300 women per district,” she said.

“These will then go and train others in their respective clusters.” Mrs Mpofu said the Zanu-PF Women’s League was in charge of administrative issues relating to the project.

“This is a national programme we have been rolling out since the end of August and from the feedback on the ground, we are expecting it to be a success,” she said. Participants were taught procurement, record keeping, marketing, vaccinations and capacity building, among other topics. In addition, we are supplying the chicks at a cost and also providing after-sales services,” Mrs Mpofu said. Zanu-PF Matabeleland South secretary for administration in the Women’s League, Cde Gladys Tlou, said the poultry projects would also cover orphans and other vulnerable children and disabled members of the community.

“Those who have received training here today, should be ambassadors. They must not be selfish, but share the knowledge within their communities. In essence, women carry the social burden and hence we can make a great difference by empowering them economically,” she said. Cde Tlou said the Zanu-PF Women’s League would continue identifying projects that would improve self-sustenance among women so that they participate effectively in nation building and economic development.