By Perpetua Murungweni
The United State Agency for International Development (USAID) officially handed over Takunda community assets to the Rumbweruchena community in Tagwirei Village Ward 11, Chivi district Masvingo province in a significant step towards sustainable development,.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont said the project was meant to enhance food security in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
“Takunda’s goal is to enhance the food and nutrition security of more than 321,000 Zimbabweans in the districts of Masvingo and Manicaland provinces. Takunda means ‘we have overcome’ so it is fitting that the project empowers women and youth fostering livelihoods and building resilience among all community members,” said Tremont.
She also said the project promotes gender equality local governance and accountability in the community.
“The project emphasizes the importance of good nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children. Additionally Takunda promotes gender equality, local governance and accountability. This project seeks to help Zimbabwe become a self-sufficient country and through this project the Rumbweruchena community developed a joint vision for its future. The community has defined their needs and worked with USAID to make their vision a reality,” said Tremont.
Care Zimbabwe country director Patrick Sikana said as USAID agency, their work was to support vulnerable people and empowering women and girls through implementing developmental projects.
“We particularly focus on empowering women and girls increasing food security resilience and responding to emergences as they strike. Over the years we have implemented a number of projects and today we commemorate the Takunda Project that is funded by the USAID. Takunda is one intervention in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces where our work is supporting vulnerable people especially those prone to drought and harsh weather conditions,” Sikana said.
Permanent Secretary in the office of Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa thanked both CARE and USAID for the support and acknowledged the good work that was carried by women in the community.
“Thank you for your support CARE, Takunda USAID not only for the people of Chivi and Zaka but for the generality of Masvingo province because what is realized here does not only benefit this community but they will sell their produce to other communities outside the boarders of Ward 11.
“With women we will never go wrong, they will take all it cost to fend for their families. In terms of food security through these projects we are moving in the right direction. Through implementing UN SDGs we also talk about no to poverty, the project has taught the community some life skills that they will use to generate income for the community. We have noted how their money is growing, they now have hundreds of dollars from zero and soon it will be thousands. This is the correct recipe as we journey towards vision 2030,” said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
The Garden Committee Chairperson Patience Mukuze expressed her gratitude towards Care and said through the Takunda Project their livelihoods had changed.
“I want acknowledge the project and thank CARE for changing our lives, before the project we faced a lot of challenges due to lack of water but now the USAID drilled boreholes for us and we are now able to do agricultural activities and have water to drink for us and for our cattle. Through this project we have learnt a lot we were taught about gender based violence and how to prevent it in our community.
“We were also taught money saving initiatives known as Fushai and it helps us save all of the profits that we get from the garden and then share the money amongst the members every year end. The project has changed our livelihoods since we started the garden in January this year and from June to August we have managed to make around US $1 092.00,” said Mukuze.
Takunda Project is a USAID funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) targeting 301,636 vulnerable and food insecure women, men, and youth from extremely poor and chronically vulnerable households and households with adolescents, children, and women at risk of chronic and acute malnutrition
The Rumbweruchena garden under Takunda Project comprises of 52 participants, who are pursuing diverse nutritious food crops that include covo, cabbage, rape, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and citrus fruit trees. Group members are also participating in other interventions that include Care Groups, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Village Savings and Loans Associations (Fushai), Farmer Field and Business School and Gender Initiatives.
