Chongwe women empowered

GOVERNMENT has empowered 30 women clubs in Chongwe with improved village chicken breeds for rearing.

Livestock and Fisheries, Nkandu Luo, said that the empowerment programme was a way of improving household nutrition.

Professor Luo handed over 3, 000 birds to 30 women groups from across Chongwe district and group received 100 birds.

The Minister warned that the donated birds were not meant for consumption, but for enhancing business.

Prof Luo said that the village chickens were an improved breed which could lay up to 140 eggs in one cycle.

According to her, this would translate into exponential chicken population growth and added that her ministry would help the beneficiaries with hatchery services at Kampekete breeding centre in Manyika ward.

She said that the centre had two incubators which would be used in the exercise and urged the beneficiaries to ensure that they utilize the breeding centre.

Government, she said, was rolling out the livestock empowerment to all parts of the country in order to ensure that households had enhanced nutrition.

Prof Luo said that the empowerment was also aimed at motivating families to be actively involved in wealth creation.

She earlier gave out dairy goats to two cooperatives in Kanakantapa and Kapete wards.

The Minister stated that more groups would benefit in the district and therefore urged the women to be diligent and show why they should be entrusted with more resources.

And Chongwe Member of Parliament, Japhen Mwakalombe, observed that the empowerment of the women clubs was unprecedented and as such was a clear indication of Government’s goodwill to the people of Chongwe.

He was hopeful that the beneficiaries would not disappoint, but translate their happiness into hard work.

Mr Mwakalombe also donated 300 bags of maize bran to all the 30 beneficiary groups.