Mkushi women cry for empowerment

WOMEN in Kawama Riverside in Mkushi have asked for empowerment to engage in income generation.

The women have appealed to Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF) coordinator Clement Tembo to include them on the programme.

They said they had been neglected and were wallowing in poverty with limited capital without advancing in businesses.

The appeal from the women came in the wake of PEIF coordinator’s recent visit to Mkushi in Masansa area where youths and women clubs were empowered with goods and incubators worth about K220,000.

In an interview, Ms Silvia Musonda said women in t need of financial support to boost their businesses.

Ms Musonda said most of them were suffering because of lack of capital for business to support their families and improve their livelihoods.

“As Kawama Riverside women, we are suffering because we have been neglected and we do not have startup capital to boost our businesses,” Ms Musonda said

Another woman, Ms Janet Bwembya, said children had stopped going to school because of lack of money to sponsor them. Ms Bwembya said the struggling women did not have a choice but to engage in piece work such as ferrying moulded burnt bricks on their heads. “We have no choice but opted to engage ourselves in ferrying moulded burnt bricks on heads at a little payment for our families to earn a living,” Ms Bwembya said.

Last Friday when Mr Tembo empowered clubs in Mkushi he said President Edgar Lungu had a programme to empower women around the whole nation so that they became self-reliant and economically independent.

He said the President had prioritised women empowerment and was committed to improving their livelihoods.

President Lungu wanted to ensure everyone was not left out. Mr Tembo said President Lungu had shown love to everyone and was empowering people so that they remained sustainable.