Source: Reprieve for Gwanda residents – Sunday News November 25, 2018
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
A LOCAL non-governmental organisation, Hand in Hand Zimbabwe has launched a Green Enterprise Programme in Gwanda which is set to benefit more than more than 200 individuals with economically and environmentally viable climate smart enterprises aimed at fighting poverty.
Through the programme a total of 300 people living in poverty and vulnerable situations in Gwanda District will benefit through nutrition gardens that use green energy for provision of water and bee keeping interventions. The individuals will also receive entrepreneurship and technical skills trainings.
Five horticultural gardens will be established and supported by the organisation through the drilling and installation of five community-based boreholes equipped with solar driven water pumps while the bee keeping entrepreneurs will get support through bee hives and sheds.
In an interview Hand in Hand chief executive officer, Mr Felix Tete said the project is meant to benefit 240 women and 60 men with skills and support that will diversify their livelihood options.
He said the project’s overall objective was to contribute to improved sustainable economic activities and strengthen resilience to climate change for women and youth in the district.
“The targeted groups for this programme are extremely resource limited female headed households facing low incomes and food insecurity as well as challenges in looking after their children and other dependants within the households.
We are also targeting child headed families and vulnerable individuals belonging to highly disadvantaged groups such as orphans, youth and people affected by HIV and Aids,” he said.
Hand in Hand Zimbabwe Gwanda area manager Ms Unami Dube said since the inception of the programme, the response from the district has been overwhelming. She said the organisation is still selecting more target groups in the district.
“The identification of target groups will be further supported by the collaboration and consultation with the traditional and other community leaders. This will help to add legitimacy to the project activities and avoiding potential risks of conflicts within the communities,” she said.
Hand in Hand Zimbabwe is a non-profit organisation whose main aim is to help poor and marginalised people create better livelihoods for themselves and their families in rural Zimbabwe. This is done through a help to self-help approach, mainly aimed at women and youth. Through its interventions, the organisation has made great strides in the fight against poverty in Lupane, Nkayi, Bulilima, Gwanda, Shurugwi, Chikomba and Chirumhanzu.
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