Women lead climate change adaptation
WOMEN in rural communities are emerging as powerful forces for adaptation and economic empowerment as they are building resilience and collaborating to find solutions to the challenges brought by climate change.
Zimbabwe, like many African countries, is affected by climate change, with women and girls being disproportionately affected.
The International Women’s Day, celebrated last week, served as a critical time to highlight the impact of climate change and the essential role women play in building community strength.
This was capped by the launch of the Shurugwi Organic Women Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO), an initiative that has seen more than 100 women coming together to venture into poultry production, majoring in free-range, broiler as well as layer chicken production.
Through the project, the women are able to sustain their families and generate extra income for other ventures.
Shurugwi Organic SACCO secretary, Mrs Margaret Matambo, said they received support from the Local Initiative Development Agency (LID) to start the project which had grown significantly since its inception in 2018.
“We started with 1 800 roadrunner chickens but we have capacity for 3 000 chickens. We also have a vegetable project and we are into tree planting.
“We also sell day-old chicks to women who might want to start their own chicken projects,” she said.
Mrs Matambo said the SACCO has been registered with the ministry and they have received training on how to run the business professionally. All the women in the SACCO are now earning a salary and receive dividends at the end of each year.
“This has brought positive development to us as women. We have managed to buy property in our homes, pay fees for our children and buy livestock, among many other developments.
“It has also helped to reduce GBV in the homes. We are trying to grow our broiler project and to also improve our irrigation so that we can increase production.
“We are also seeking a revolving fund which we will use to open a community bank where villagers can get loans to start income generating projects,” said Mrs Matombo.
LID Agency executive director, Dr Pascal Manyakaidze, said the success of the project was testament of how building resilience among women was key to improving the livelihoods of communities.
“We have walked together with them since 2018 and, despite that their resilience was put to test because of climate change and other challenges, this social enterprise proved to be a source of resilient livelihoods.”
“As LID agency, we have a vision of resilient communities that are free from poverty and this is in sync with Sustainable Development Goals and the National Development Strategy 1.
“Ours is a permanent interest to witness the full empowerment and participation of our mothers and sisters in different circles of socio economic development,” he said.
The Shurugwi SACCO is one of such projects, which has transformed the lives of many women in Midlands.
“This group is one among the over 60 women cooperatives that are flourishing in the Midlands and have subsequently improved their disposable income and living standards,” said Midlands Province Permanent Secretary Mr Edgars Seenza.