22 Solwezi women empowered

TWENTY-TWO women in Kimasala ward in Solwezi have been trained in various entrepreneurship skills with the help of the local authority.

The women underwent training in bottle décor, knitting, doormat making and village banking, courtesy of Solwezi Municipal Council.

Kimasala ward councillor, Nephan Kamwandi, who graced the closing, said the council had lived up to its mandate of providing community service through training the women whose livelihoods would improve.

He noted that the women and their families would become self-reliant.

Mr Kamwandi said the council had been proactive in bringing the community together and ensuring that the services were adequate and appreciated by the residents.

“It is gratifying that the local authority is living up to its mandate which is in line with the Local Government Act. The skills imparted in the people that are graduating today will really help them become self-reliant,” he said.

He encouraged the women to stay united as they contribute to alleviation of poverty at the household level and the nation at large.

Meanwhile, Solwezi Municipal Council Director of Housing and Services, Andrew Kalemba, said the skills training programme was aimed at enhancing women participation in economic activities as well as encouraging them to be self-reliant.

“The local authority is convinced that a women’s group that will be formed will engage in income generating activities that will contribute to the third pillar of the Seventh National Development Plan which aims at poverty and vulnerability reduction,” he said.

And a participant, Idah Nkonde, thanked the council for the knowledge imparted in them in various skills.

e skills imparted in the people that are graduating today will really help them become selfreliant.