Faith Duri
Zambuko Livelihoods Initiative, a programme coordinated by Southern Netherlands Volunteers (SNV) is helping marginalized communities strengthen and diversify livelihoods among villagers at the same time acting as a solution to Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Speaking during a workshop held by SNV or Netherlands Development Organization in collaboration with other World Food Programme (WFP) cooperating partners under the USAID on May 27 2022 at the Chevron hotel, Development Officer in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises Fortune Sinamayi applauded the programme saying women are now able to stand for themselves and GBV is reduced through these projects.
“Women are able to stand for themselves. They are eager to learn and take risks they are no longer depending on their male counter parts hence reducing gender based violence. We would like to thank SNV for bringing in such a wonderful programme which keeps women’ minds busy.
“Zambuko livelihood projects are reducing hunger on us women. We are no longer waiting for our husbands to give us money, women are now able to do things they were afraid to do hence increasing women empowerment,” said Sinamayi.
Zambuko livelihood initiative has strengthened social cohesion nutrition and empowerment of youth and women, who constitute 57 percent beneficiaries hence they are able to take decisions at household level thereby reducing cases of GBV.
Ward 16 Agro-preneur Regina Mutende recited her poem about SNV as an appreciation to their gesture that has taught women how to be independent.
“You have taught us how to be independent on ourselves, you did not just give us fish but you taught us how to also catch fish. We want to thank you SNV for giving us such a wonderful Zambuko livelihoods projects,” said Mutende.
Another agro-preneur Patience Gonde of Ward 17 Masvingo rural also added that Zambuko livelihood projects have helped her a lot she is now a respected somebody in her community.
“I would like to thank Zambuko project for helping me financially, It has helped me escape my poor background and I am now a respected somebody in my society , for the past two years I have been able to pay my children’s school fees and even taking care of myself and my parents,” said Gonde.
Giving her testimony one of the vegetable farmer Alfonsina Mukomanzi of Chebvute village in Mwenezi said her life has changed as they proceeds from 3, 5 hectare piece of land supported by solar-powered irrigation water system are enough for her survival.
“Since 2017 when this project started, life has never been the same.
“All integrated livelihood support concept has done wonders for me and my fellow villagers.
“All the beneficiaries are a living testimony on how life can be easy due to availability of nutritious food as well as accessibility of money,” said Mukomanzi.
The programme Zambuko livelihoods projects started in January 2017 and it targets 5 000 households in Masvingo and Mwenezi districts.
The main objective of the projects is to strengthen and diversify livelihoods among Zimbabweans living in poverty and vulnerable current crises.
It also promotes an integrated approach to resilience buildings and seeks to improve smallholder farmer’s production, their governance of community resources and access to finance markets.
The programme is being implemented by partners like Aquaculture Zimbabwe (AQZ), International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement Goal, the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) and Old Mutual which is funded by SDC, USAid and France
Under the initiative, various farmers engage in various agricultural activities like poultry, horticulture and ‘mechanised Pfumvudza’ in which they use ploughs instead of labour-intensive use of hoes in the common Pfumvudza programme.
Women in the communities also pull their resources together in form of cash which they would use to fund their projects and even purchasing inputs for he projects.
