WOMEN should create an environment for their development and empowerment by taking part in activities that promote their growth.
This was the message Vice-President Emerson Mnangagwa left the thousands of people who gathered for the belated commemorations of the International Women’s Day in Mvuma last Saturday.
“Madzimai anofanira kushanda nekuti havafambi vachitsvakwa kudzimba,” he said.
“Pindai mumusangano, mumakambani nekuti hakuna chinoitwa chamungati hatizive.
“Tinawo madzimai varikutungamirira makambani, kumasoja variko nekumapurisa tinavo zve.”
Given the way the society has been structured since time immemorial women have been left behind.
With the changing times concerted efforts are now being made to change the status of women in the society.
Today women play an active role in politics and economic issues.
Even those living in rural areas have been given equal opportunities as their urban counterparts.
Women in the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency in the Midlands province are an example of women living in the rural areas whose live have been transformed following various programmes to empower them.
Today the women in the constituency join their male counterparts in exercising their democratic right to vote by participating in the by election to elect a House of Assembly member.
In the wake of talk of involving women in the running of the country’s affairs it is befitting that the ruling ZANU PF is fielding a female candidate Auxillia Mnangagwa.
In the run up to the elections Mnangagwa as a woman who understands the plight of her fellow women has put in place programmes to better the lives of the women in the constituency.
With the country’s economy hinged on the agriculture sector, women who make up 52 percent of the population are playing a leading role.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation women provide the majority of Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural muscle and produce up to 80 percent of the region’s basic foodstuffs.
In the wake of the Land Reform Programme women comprise about 20 percent of land owners and leaseholders.
Given this background more than 18 000 households in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe received fertilisers during the 2014/2015 agricultural season with most beneficiaries being women.
A total of 30 tonnes were distributed in every ward.
Tendesai Maturure from Chirumanzu said the fertiliser programme was a welcome relief especially for the small holder farmers who were facing financial challenges.
“In the past I have failed to purchase adequate inputs for my agricultural activities and the fertiliser I received from the programme came at the right time,” she said.
Women in horticulture production have also received assistance in the form of technical expertise to ensure they maximise on production.
With the issue of financing the agriculture sector being a bone of contention in the country, to try and assist women financially Mnangagwa has helped in the setting up of Women’s Banks.
The banks have allowed women to access capital to start business projects and finance agriculture projects.
Most established banks lend to those with collateral which most small business owners do not have and many have bemoaned the high interest rates.
The establishment of the banks have been a welcome relief for the women aspiring to venture into business in the constituency.
Women farmers in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe are being encouraged to value add their products with the concept of kitchen-tourism now being implemented.
Under the concept women are encouraged to set up eateries, produce traditional foods prepare them and sell them to people visiting the area.
This not only helps them make a living but also promotes healthy eating and preserves the culture.
For the women in the constituency, gone are the days when they used to travel long distances in search of water.
Over the past months out of the 53 boreholes in the constituency 47 have been rehabilitated and the communities now have easy access to the precious liquid.
As the saying goes: if you educate a woman, you educate a nation, Mnangagwa has capitalised on that and took it upon herself to help underprivileged girls acquire education.
Schools have also been renovated and others had additional blocks built.
A favourable environment has been created in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe and the onus is on the women in the constituency to continue taking advantage of the status quo to their advantage.