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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau

Women in Manicaland have been urged to actively participate in empowerment projects being rolled out by Zanu-PF as they can be the key to food security both at household and national level.

Zanu-PF Manicaland launched the projects over the weekend, which saw women from all 26 constituencies in the province being trained in breadmaking and confectionery, petroleum jelly making, shoe polish and floor polish making.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Manicaland Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said food security was guaranteed if production was done at village level.

“As women, we are being encouraged to work hard so that we can grow our economy. Don’t sit and wait for Government to give you handouts. We want action. This is the time for action, we need to build this Zimbabwe, we need to build this Manicaland,” she said.

She said the breadmaking project would help alleviate the bread shortages being experienced adding that communities would no longer be held to ransom by bakeries.

“At this rate I foresee those local bakeries going out of business because imagine if all these women go back to their wards and start baking their own bread. They (the bakeries) have gotten used to monopolising the economy while we suffer. That is why President Mnangagwa has said let’s set aside politics and focus more on the economy,” she said.

Minister Gwaradzimba said those who had been undermining the impact of such projects would make were ill-informed.

She said the people would start small and move towards bigger projects with time.

“Education is the ability to manipulate one’s situation in order to survive. The situation we are in calls for us to work with what we have as we build our economy. These projects are a way for our people to live decent lives and earn an income in the process. We are not saying we will end here, there are bigger projects in the pipeline,” she added.

She urged polytechnic students to play their role in growing the economy.

“Students here at the polytechnic, you can use the knowledge you have acquired to improve on these ovens. I want you to take this model of a candle making machine and manufacture more in your Mechanical Engineering Department,” said Minister Gwaradzimba.

The provincial launch is the second stage of the roadmap to community development, economic empowerment and self-reliance.

It will be followed by constituency launches cascading down to ward level.

A $2 million fund for the projects has since been secured from Government and will be disbursed by the Women’s Bank through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

Each province will receive $200 000 seed capital.