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First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe

Munyaradzi Doma in Zvishavane
Zanu-PF Women’s League chair for Midlands, Cde Ellina Shirichena, has hailed First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe for spearheading the training of women in chicken rearing projects, saying the development is set to transform the livelihoods of thousands of women in the province.

Speaking at the Zanu-PF Women’s League chicken rearing training workshop at Kandodo Community Hall in Zvishavane last Friday, Cde Shirichena said the move by the First Lady showed that she had the empowerment of members of the party at heart.

“Today we are in Zvishavane District where women will be trained and we have women from Mberengwa, Shurugwi and Zvishavane,” she said. “The training that has been spearheaded by the First Lady is very important because women need knowledge.

“She gave us a trainer from Irvines who will impart knowledge to the women so that this project will be successful.”

Cde Shirichena said the training was important to make the project a success, unlike the last time when the women were given the chicks most of which died due to ignorance on poultry production.

“We were once given chickens by the First Lady, but then three quarters died because the women did not have the knowledge,” she said.

“And now, the First Lady will soon give us some other chickens, so she said women should be imparted with knowledge first.”

Cde Shirichena added that 290 women from the three districts were set to be trained and they would also impart the knowledge to their colleagues back home.

She said the First Lady had shown great compassion by uplifting the lives of women and providing food for their families.

“The First Lady realised that women have to be self reliant, they have to have their own projects,” said Cde Shirichena. “We are very happy, we really appreciate what she has done.”

Zvishavane-Ngezi Member of Parliament John Holder urged the women to value the training they got.

“This is empowerment coming from the First Lady,” he said. “You know the Bible says my people perish because of lack of knowledge. There is also a Chinese saying which goes, ‘If a man asks for fish you teach him how to fish’ and this is what is happening.

“She (First Lady) is actually empowering the women, teaching them how chickens can be reared, teaching them about all the challenges that they will be facing. Cde Holder said the chicken rearing project would help the women alleviate hunger in the dry districts which are prone to hunger.