Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa, through her charity foundation Angel of Hope, has partnered women from three Matabeleland provinces and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development to establish a chicken project with a potential to produce 45 000 birds at any given time.

The project, the Marula Chicken Abattoir, is a complete value chain business that encompasses chicken rearing, slaughtering and packaging for the market.

The long-term objective of the project is to establish similar projects across the country in all the provinces to empower women and vulnerable groups.

At least 15 businesswomen from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South led by Minister Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday paid a courtesy visit on the First Lady at her offices in Harare.

The First Lady said she came up with the project after engaging women from the Matabeleland regions during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo in April where they pointed out that they have been marginalised for a long time.

“I found a place for the project and asked Minister Nyoni through her ministry to conduct a survey of the area,” she said. “I then asked her if she could bring you here so that we can have a round-table where we discuss the work that needs to be done and to help those in need.

“I thought that by engaging you as women in leadership positions, we could put something together through sharing ideas. I want to see Bulawayo undertaking projects.

“I cannot be everywhere all the time, hence the need to have you on board to get the project running even in my absence. What I want to see is all women from all the provinces working together, therefore, similar projects will be established across the country. We have the aged, disadvantaged people and those with disabilities who need our help.”

The First Lady said the purpose of the project was to enable women to own and control the means of production as individuals and collectively.

“This, in turn, would transform them into financially independent and self-sustaining individuals,” she said. “This will definitely reduce poverty.”

Minister Nyoni applauded the First Lady for coming up with projects which cater for the welfare and empowerment of women and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

She said $200 000 was needed to kick-start the project and the First Lady pledged to provide it through her foundation.

“The project effectively fits into the women economic and social empowerment trajectory,” said Minister Nyoni. “This comes against the background of a well-documented history of marginalised women across the country.

“The women are involved at every stage of the value chain and this blends well with the new dispensation mantra of inclusivity and that Zimbabwe is open for business. The project is on a 10-hectare piece of land and it consists of three completed fowl runs with a capacity of 15 000 chickens each.

“There is an abattoir with equipment and machinery. The women will supply the poultry to local and outside markets.”

The First Lady also showed the women poultry and gardening projects she is undertaking behind her offices.

She grows all types of vegetables and rears chickens, ducks and turkeys.

The women pledged to work with the First Lady and undertook to train young women in various business projects.