SCRALA SUPPORTS SAVINGS AMONG FARMERS IN MAMBWE

GOVERNMENT has advised the “Savings for Change” groups in Mambwe district to take the savings for change initiative seriously because of its benefits to rural communities.

Eastern Province Senior Community Development Officer, Clara Chipoya gave the advice to the groups on Saturday January 30th 2021 during the monitoring of how the Savings for Change groups were doing in the district. Ms

Chipoya said the savings for change programme was introduced to assist small-scale farmers save and grow their incomes in order for them to meet some of their social and economic needs.

Mambwe District has 35

Savings for Change groups under the Strengthening Climate Resilience of Agricultural livelihoods in AgroEcological Regions I and II in Zambia (SCRALA).

SCRALA project with support of World Food Programme ( WFP) trained 35 animators in the district in the Savings for Change Initiative. The animators were picked from the three agriculture blocks in the district and these include; Masumba, Kalongo and Msoro.

The animators formed the savings groups in December, 2020 after being trained in the savings for change initiative at the Mambwe Farmers Training Centre.

According to WFP, savings for change aims to act as risk retention for households to be able to save small amount and execute internal lending among group members.

The main objective of the savings for change according to WFP is to ensure financial inclusion and empowerment for youth and women through internal lending of group members.

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) officials especially at grassroot level should not underrate the opposition, but intensify party mobilization and promote unity ahead of the August 12 elections, PF Kamfinsa constituency aspiring candidate Kelvin Chipili has advised.

He said unity in the party and recruitment of more members would guarantee victory in the August elections and ultimately the ruling party would silence the vocal opposition parties like the UPND.

Mr Chipili was speaking in Kitwe at the weekend during an interaction meeting initiated by the PF Kamfinsa constituency executive committee.

''The other important aspect is being united so that we emerge as one big family to scoop the elections. There has been a lot of unsubstantiated accusations from the UPND and so let us whack them to silence them,'' Mr Chipili said

And speaking later, Constituency chairman Collins Chansa urged Mr Chipili to find ways to empower wards officials to ensure they were motivated ahead of the August elections

''We are grateful for the tireless efforts you have put up . I must say these efforts have really helped the Party to grow in various corners of the Constituency. We hope you will continue with these works,'' Mr Chansa said.

Other PF officials who are seeking adoption for Kamfinsa constituency are Kitwe Mayor, Christopher Kang’ombe, Van Wick Mumba and Rogers Mwanjisi.