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Herald Reporter

President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’ and mantra of leaving no one and no place behind, is now cascading into the region following the launch of the country’s ICT and goat rearing training programme in South Africa’s Limpopo Province.

Many youths and women from Limpopo Province who graduated on Friday after taking part in a week-long training programme that was done by the Concord Young Women in Business Global expressed their gratitude to President Mnangagwa and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa saying that the programme will improve their livelihoods.

The programme, which has already seen over 20,000 women graduating in Zimbabwe, is aimed at empowering young women with skills in goat rearing and how they can utilise information communication technology (ICT) to enhance their businesses.

The inaugural graduation in South Africa which saw 1,000 women and youths graduating was also attended by the Limpopo Province community Chief Dikgale and Queen Dikgale Masefako as well as agronomists Mr Rammutla Phuti and Mr Elliot Kubjana from the agricultural department.

Queen Dikgale Masefako receives her certificate from the Ms Apphia Nyasha Musavengana, Concord Young Women in Business Global president at the graduation ceremony in Limpopo Province

Queen Dikgale Masefako who participated in the training and received a certificate expressed her gratitude to President Mnangagwa and President Ramaphosa for initiating Vision 2030 and adopting various empowerment programmes.

“We are very touched by this programme of empowering the women and the youths.

“I really want to thank the two Presidents from the two different countries, whom I wish and pray for every day and every night that the way they are really coming with these programmes and this Vision 2030, that in 2030 the programme wants to see everyone being empowered, I want to thank them and I humble myself,” she said.

Queen Dikgale Masefako said that she sees the empowerment programme changing the lives of poor women and youths in South Africa.

Another participant, Mootane Nthabiseng who graduated with a certificate in ICT and goat rearing said that the training was very beneficial as it will help her in setting up and running her own business.

“We were helped to get the knowledge by the President of Zimbabwe and our President of South Africa. They helped us on how to empower ourselves and how to start our own businesses,” she said.

A resident of Limpopo, Olga Chauke welcomed the programme saying that it will play a huge role in empowering the South African community.

“I am happy with this programme of Young Women in Business Global because it is bringing more empowerment in people, especially young women in our country who are not working.

“Most young women are depending on their husbands and boyfriends and that is where we find a lot of killings, men are killing women because they are more dependent on them, but when we bring this programme they are going to empower themselves and work for themselves,” said Chauke.

Concord Young Women in Business Global’s South African director Tshepo Mathabatha said that, inspired by President Mnangagwa’s vision, the organisation is working on a Vision 2030 to empower all women in SADC.

“We have a vision that by 2030, every woman in the SADC region who aspires to be in business will be equipped with ICT skills, financial literacy skills and basic agricultural skills. Vision 2030, the year of economic empowerment for young women,” she said.

Ms Apphia Nyasha Musavengana, Concord Young Women in Business Global president, said that her organisation is inspired by the unity that is shared between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“We have collaborated with the women of South Africa, with the approval of the two governments, with the support of President Mnangagwa and President Ramaphosa, to empower each other as women, to unite, collaborate and elevate each other, share ideas and see how we can implement the policies that they have made available.”

The ICT and goat rearing training programme in South Africa will be carried out in the same format as it is done in Zimbabwe, holding training in each and every province and then holding a national graduation ceremony to mark the conclusion.