Empowering and Equipping Women with Entrepreneurship Skills for Self-Reliance
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By Derrick Sinjela
THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) with support from the Swedish Embassy is financing empowerment of women and men led clubs established under the Zambia Association of Research and Development (ZARD).
The Swedish Embassy-NGOCC-ZARD implemented project christened as “Empowering and Equipping Women with Entrepreneurship Skills for Self-Reliance” is always preceded by a training activity, which culminates in disbursement of a revolving fund.
Accordingly, the two objectives of the Swedish Embassy-NGOCC-ZARD are to equip women of Lukolongo Ward with entrepreneurship skills, and to contribute to increased knowledge and information on income generating activities among women in Kafue District.
In addition the expected outcomes of the Swedish Embassy-NGOCC-ZARD tripartite partnership, is to targeted at ensuring that ‘women acquire entrepreneurship skills , record an Increase in the number of women engaging in Income Generation Activities (IGA) and attainment of increased incomes among women in Kafue District, located within Lusaka Province.
https://www.facebook.com/rainbownewsszambia/videos/10157974527984354/ Since its establishment in 1984, as a non-governmental organization, the Zambia Association of Research and Development has proven itself as a reliable partner in issues of gender and development through lobbying and policy advocacy activities aided by its research and publications.
ZARD’s overall objective is to create and maintain channels of communication between researchers policy makers, organizations and individuals concerned with development issues
ZARD whose founding tagline is ‘Working to Empower Women’ envisions a Zambia where women and men equitably benefit from and are fully integrated in sustainable development at local and national level.
https://www.facebook.com/rainbownewsszambia/videos/10157974524589354/ THE ZARD Mission is centered ‘to contribute to the development and advancement of the status of women in relation to men through the production of evidence-based information, alternative approaches to development, capacity building of communities and coalition building with like-minded organizations locally an internationally.
The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is an umbrella network for Non-Governmental and Community Based Organisations in Zambia active in championing women’s empowerment and gender equity and equality.
In over 30 years of its existence, NGOCC has grown to be the focal point of the women’s movement in Zambia, with a total membership of 98 as at the end of 2017, spread in all the 10 provinces of Zambia and covering 58 districts.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have a gender dimension mainstreamed in all seventeen (17) goals and a specific fifth goal on Gender Equality.
This broad commitment at global level forms the basis for the Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) continued strategy design.
The Swedish Embassy supports the NGOCC Strategic Plan Core Activities through the period 2018 to 2022.
The overall objective of the Core Activities is to contribute to the attainment of women’s empowerment and gender equality in Zambia.
The Specific objectives are to:Increase income generated by women with productive resources they own in NGOCC operational areas, Reduce teenage/young pregnancies and child marriage prevalence in NGOCC operational areas.
Increased representation of women in political and public decision-making positions, Enhancement, efficiency and decreased health hazards for women and girls through use of alternative and modern sources of energy in NGOCC operational areas.
Establish NGOCC as well-positioned organization carrying out it mandate through efficient operations and coordination of its MOs.
Propagating the Swedish Embassy-NGOCC-ZARD implemented project launched as “Empowering and Equipping Women with Entrepreneurship Skills for Self-Reliance” in April 2019, ZARD travelled to Lukolongo in Lusaka’s Kafue District to train club members in entrepreneurship, gender and human rights.
After conducting a three-day training 40 ZARD Cub members disaggregated as thirty-four (34) women and six (6) men received start-up capital, construed as a revolving fund, expected to be given to another group or groups once paid.
Each of the four clubs received no interest credit worth K5, 000, with a six (6) month repayment which was invested in rearing village chicken, rearing goats, banking and groceries.
In between the six months period of April to November 2019, the Zambia Association of Research and Development, kept monitoring the entrepreneurship activities, after which a ZARD Secretariat was summoned by the four clubs, to go and collect the money and witness their respective performance.
On 14th November 2019, a ZARD delegation led by Treasurer Joseph Daka drove to Lukolongo to collect the revolving fund money, which was ascertained as having been prudently facilitated by the four groups, including appraising the said project performance.
Upon arrival, the four-member delegation was received by Senior Head Women. Lishiko, within Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo the Second, and her husband Headman Lishiko.
Before presentation of the disbursed money, the ZARD group members gave testimonies of their activity, preceded by the chairperson’s remarks.
One women within Lusaka Province explained how she benefited from the Swedish Embassy –NGOCC funded activity as she was capable of paying a daughters education, fees for grade eight, nine an ten learners countrywide.
As no area was spared during the drought, 2018-2019, drought experienced in Zambia, especially the Southern part, of the country, the K5, 000 money from came in handy at the right time, when it was needed the most.
After giving testimonies and payment of the allotted funds, the recipients showed project sustainability as the four ZARD Clubs remained with profit in the form of money in form of goats, chicken and cash earned from the Village Banking still in circulation.
The forty beneficiaries assured Swedish Embassy-NGOCC-ZARD administrators that for now going into the future, the income generating activity had granted them appropriate skills to earn money and contribute to domestic and community earnings, restating that households of recipients will not lack basic food.
Headman Lishuko thanked the project sponsors for empowering the 34 women and 6 men, a gesture that would guarantee incomes beyond the forty recipients.
The headman pleaded that the gesture be extended to school-going children, women-in-need, and vulnerable men as Lukolongo Ward was a densely populated area, within United Party for National Development (UPND) Kafue Member of Parliament (MP) Miriam Chonya.
NGOCC GIVES OUT OVER K1, 800, 000 MILLION TO 16 MEMBER ORGANISATIONS
The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has disbursed over K1, 800, 000 million to 16 Member Organisations (MOs) for the implementation of various projects.
During the orientation for NGOCC Member Organisations (MOs) granted from the Swedish Embassy supported basket fund in Lusaka yesterday, NGOCC Executive Director Engwase Mwale who was being represented by the Programs Manager Chilufya Siwale said the projects being supported fall within the NGOCC strategic pillars of Women’s Economic Empowerment, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Governance and Women’s Leadership, Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience, and Institutional Development and Sustainability.
“Allow me to congratulate you all for having been successful with your applications to access funds from the basket under the second call for proposals. As a matter of fact, you are here today primarily because you put together convincing and bankable project proposals that are aimed at contributing to the overall organisational strategic goal, for women’s empowerment and gender equality to be attained in Zambia,” Ms. Mwale said.
“Under this particular call, a total of K1, 886, 000 million is being disbursed to 16 Member Organisations (MOs) to implement various projects. The importance of this orientation cannot be overemphasised. As you may all be aware, the basket fund is supported by various donors. Currently, the main supporters are the Swedish Embassy, the European Union and the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ). It is therefore prudent that even as we grant these funds to you, we also orient you on the expectations of these donors. Apart from the very fact that your projects should produce results/impacts, the donors are keen on the prudent utilisation of these resources especially creating change in society among the most vulnerable who are the women and children.”
Ms. Mwale said during the orientation, Member Organisations would be taken through various presentations on how to manage the funds and monitor and evaluate their projects for change.
She said Member Organisations would also be provided with capacity on how they could enhance the visibility of the projects and ensure sustainability.
“As stated, the grants you have received come from tax-payers and we as recipients are expected to prudent and ensure that each and every coin is accounted for and put to good use. In your various proposals, you planned to undertake specific activities. It is our expectation that you will undertake the said activities accordingly. As a network, NGOCC is anchored on a strong foundation of beliefs and principles in undertaking our core functions. In discharging our mandate during the strategic period 2018-2022, the coordinating body and its members believe in ,” Ms. Mwale said.
“Most importantly, NGOCC believes in transparency and accountability that is to say we remain responsible for our actions and we will justify them in an open manner. It is our expectation therefore that you our network members will also embrace these core values especially the aspect of transparency.”
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