Zimpapers Logo

Masvingo Correspondent
Scores of women who sell artefacts at the Great Zimbabwe National Monuments have been thrown a lifeline by Government after it availed a $50 000 grant to upgrade their craft centre into a state-of-the-art facility.

The upgrading of the craft centre, located close to Great Zimbabwe, is expected to boost tourism at the World Heritage Site and incomes for the traders.

The grant was extended through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development. It will also be used for capacity building through training for 60 entrepreneurs operating at the centre.

The ministry’s provincial development officer, Mr Joseph Mupinga, hailed Government for assisting the traders, saying the development would result in an influx of tourists to the area. He said the craft centre was strategically located within the proximity of both the Great Zimbabwe monument and Lake Mutirikwi.

“The upgrading of the centre is in tandem with the Government’s vision to make Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy by 2030,” said Mr Mupinga.

He said Government had since completed drafting the site plan for the craft centre located along the Masvingo City-Great Zimbabwe Road near Nemanwa Growth Point.

“We have so far managed to clear an area measuring 5 000 square metres, register members of the group as a co-operative and draft a site plan for the proposed state-of-the-art craft centre,” said Mr Mupinga.

“All tourists to the majestic Great Zimbabwe Monuments and Lake Mutirikwi pass through the centre. It is, therefore, the face or the tourism gateway to the province.”