Empowering Women

Why Focus on Women?

Women often do most of the work on farms and at home. But sometimes, they do not get the same chances as men to learn new things or get money. When a community development program helps a woman, she does not keep the benefits to herself. Studies show that women spend most of their money on their children. They buy food, medicine, and school books. This makes the next generation healthier and smarter.

Empowering Women in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, many groups are working hard to help women start businesses and grow food.

Skills Training and Business Clubs

The Ministry of Women Affairs in Zimbabwe has programs to teach women practical skills. In 2024, they helped over 123,000 women learn how to make things like soap, detergent, and food. They also trained women in farming, such as raising chickens and pigs.

The government also helps start Women Empowerment Clubs. These clubs are like small groups where women learn together. They learn about leadership, how to manage money, and how to start a small business. By working in clubs, women can share ideas and help each other. They can also get small loans from banks made for women, like the Women’s Microfinance Bank.

Farming and Local Markets

In a place called Umguza, in Matabeleland North, the local council started a project to help women with farming. They focused on horticulture, which means growing vegetables and fruit. The council gave women training on how to run a business.

As a result of this project, a group called the Thuthukani Luthi B Project was started. This project created jobs for 29 women and 16 young people. The council also made a rule that 30% of all its shopping must be done from businesses owned by women. This guarantees that women have a place to sell their goods.

Financial Help for Farmers

Many women in Zimbabwe are farmers, but they need money to buy seeds and fertilizer. Organizations like We Effect help women start Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). In these groups, women save a little money each week. Then, they can borrow from the group to start a business or pay for school fees. This helps women who cannot go to a regular bank.

Empowering Women in Mozambique

In Mozambique, community development often focuses on farming and helping women sell their goods for a fair price.

Closing the Gender Gap in Business

In Mozambique, a study found that very few agro dealers (people who sell seeds and farm tools) are women. Only about 11% of the big dealers and 18% of small shop owners were women.

To fix this, a project called FFSAM held training for women in Chimoio. They taught women about the challenges in agribusiness and how to overcome them. The goal is to help more women become business owners in the farming world.

Farming with New Technology

In the Mocuba district, a project called AGRI-FEED is helping 700 farmers, and more than half of them are women. This project teaches climate smart agriculture. This means they learn to farm in ways that can survive dry weather, which is common in Mozambique.

They also use solar power to run water pumps. This makes it easier to water the vegetables. The project helps women learn business skills so they can sell more food and waste less.

Selling High-Value Crops

UN Women is helping women in Manica Province, Mozambique. They helped 324 women start businesses in the chicken and sesame seed value chains. A value chain means they help women with every step, from getting the baby chicks to selling the grown chickens.

They made a deal with a big chicken company called Higest. This company gives the women chicks and food, and then buys the grown chickens back from them. This gives the women a sure way to earn money. In 2022, one group of women sold 500kg of sesame seeds and earned a lot of money (about $500 USD).

Cooperatives and Cross Border Help

Zimbabwe and Mozambique are working together. Recently, the two countries signed agreements to work on women’s development. They want to share ideas on how to help women start cooperatives. A cooperative is a business owned by a group of people who work together. This cooperation helps women on both sides of the border.

How Empowerment Helps Families

When women earn their own money, the whole family wins. Women grow vegetables and buy protein rich food, so children are stronger.

In the Lundazi area (near the Zimbabwe border), women in VSLAs said they could now handle emergencies. Before, if someone got sick, they had no money. Now, they can borrow from their savings group.

Empowering women is a smart way to build strong communities. As we have seen in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, when women get training, access to money, and a chance to sell their goods, they lift up their entire families. They also create support networks through clubs and cooperatives. By investing in women, we invest in a future where everyone has a chance to contribute and live a better life.