Young women organisations in Kwekwe have come up with Community based income generating projects during the Covid-19 pandemic to support single mothers and young girls who are struggling to make ends meet during the lockdown.
In an interview with Impact Stories Zw, two young women who managed to come up with community-based income-generating projects during the pandemic highlighted the impact that these projects have had on women and their families during their time of need.
One Varaidzo Dongo, (27) the founding Director of Chenjedzo Trust, an organization that supports single mothers and widows managed to conduct online trainings on detergent manufacturing targeting women in different areas of the country.
“As Chenjedzo Trust we know that women have always been on the receiving end, we continue to fight for the existing intergenerational gaps so that we allow for them to be recognized within the communities and societies.
“The pandemic has caused a lot of challenges for women economically and socially as we have witnessed a rise in domestic violence cases and the rise in child marriages since young girls have been used as meal tickets for the survival of their families.
” As Chenjedzo, we have come up with a number of income-generating Initiatives such as detergent making, baking amount others, that have helped women to provide meals for their families and pay school fees for their children, pay rentals and cater for other economic needs, ” said Dongo.
One of the beneficiaries of the online detergent-making trainings, Prudence Nyabadza commended the Chenjedzo online trainings for having transformed her life economically.
“We have so many WhatsApp groups where trainings for manufacturing products are conducted and personally I benefitted a lot from those trainings.
“I learnt how to bake, manufacture beverages and detergents, I can make drinks for my children and my family.
“I am also looking forward to having my own brand because right now I am operating without a brand name but some of my colleagues already have brands, ” said Nyabadza.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, most women who are not formally employed were negatively affected by the extended lockdown and were failing to make ends meet.
Another young woman, Clear Chinjekwere also managed to come up with an initiative to support young women and girls during the pandemic.
Chinjekwere is mobilising resources to support homeless girls and introduce them to income-generating projects under her Tamara Campaign Trust.
“As a direct response to several cases brought to Tamara Campaign Trust, we have developed and are currently mobilising for Tamara House where we provide shelter for girls that have been affected from the community and we have a team of counselors, business people, academia, church to teach, mentor and counsel the girl child.
“Some girls who do not have access to basics such as food and shelter will be provided with these basics for a period of 6 months per batch within which they will be taught how to start income-generating projects, given life skills and ultimately taught that it’s not the end of the world, more can be achieved in life,” said Chinjekwere.
