A capacity building workshop organised by the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) empowered participants to have an appreciation of income generating projects so that they can be able to impart fundamental knowledge on the importance, governance and conflict resolution strategies of group projects.
Workshop facilitator, Kudzai Garanowako at a workshop held for the women in Harare yesterday, underscored the need to equip the women’s groups on skills for ensuring sustainability of income generating projects.
One of the participants, Catherine Chari from Hatcliffe thanked the organisers for the workshop, saying it will go a long way in capacitating them to better manage women’s income generating projects.
“As we engage on the recovery from the effects of COVID-19, we are having a refresher workshop on income generating projects (IGPs) so as to strengthen the household livelihoods of members of ZPHCA.
“As mothers, we are excited to learn more on IGPs management and safety precautions to observe when undertaking projects in the communities. The knowledge and capacity gained here will help strengthen our groups and grow our IGPs,” Chari said.
On entrepreneurship, the women were encouraged to diversify into other projects like keeping goats and rabbits so as to produce a surplus for sale so as to generate income and sustain household livelihoods.
“With the training and support from MISEREOR, we are now able to run credit and savings cooperatives thereby creating opportunities for us to buy the requisite equipment like wheelbarrows and even improving our WASH facilities like building toilets at our homesteads,” said Veronica Kagonye from Seke Rural.
Kagonye said as women, they are taking advantage of the use of social media and print media to market their produce.
The Covid 19 pandemic came as a blow to the consistency in demand and supply as lockdown restrictions closed small scale and informal trade where most of the parents of children with disabilities are economically involved. The relaxation of lockdown restrictions is giving hope to the people since trading has begun.
Groups can now meet and interact following the WHO and MoHCC guidelines to effectively engage in their IGPs.
The capacity building training workshop was done with support from MISEREOR, the ZPHCA partners.
