Fees boost for female students

THE Women in Management Business and Development Trust (WIMBD) will this year mobilise tuition fees for 200 disadvantaged female university students across Zimbabwe.

The initiative dovetails with International Women’s Day, which is being commemorated today under the theme: “Economic Empowerment for Women.”

In an interview with The Herald last week, WIMBD Trust chairperson Dr Mercy Nyangulu said they would also help newly-established women’s organisations build capacity.

She said: “We are giving back and asking the question: How can we empower young women if it is not through education? So, we want to raise money for disadvantaged students and are looking at various means of attaining that goal. Our target is to change the lives of 200 kids.

“We were not aware of the problem of funding that some students face when at university. Some have been dropping out after failing to secure fees and then enrolling again at a later stage.

“This time around, we are sharpening our resolve to deal with this problem.

“It is mostly girls who will benefit, but boys could also be incorporated into the programme.

“We want to empower lives as we commemorate this year’s ( International) Women’s Day. If you are equipped with education, then you have a start on economic empowerment.

“We are also helping new women’s organisations with capacity-building and other support mechanisms. The trust realised that given its experience, new organisations required support to fully unlock their value and for them to effectively change lives,” said Dr Nyangulu.