Young Women for ED spreads wings to Mashonaland Central

Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Monica Mavhunga has congratulated Young Women for Economic Development for launching the provincial chapter and encouraged them to be patriotic, ethical and honest businesspeople.

She said the Second Republic had a thrust on economic development, which Young Women for Economic Development had remarkably embraced, uniting to participate in mainstream activities across all sectors of the economy.

Minister Mavhunga said President Mnangagwa's mantra, ‘Zimbabwe is open for business' needed patriotic businesspeople.

"I applaud the participation of Young Women for ED in economic development in the mainstream economy of the country through various companies that you have established," she said.

"As young business leaders, you are an inspiration to many young women across the country. In you I see leaders of the next generation. I urge you to have ethics in all business dealings, we don't want to hear about corruption."

Minister Mavhunga urged the women to establish synergies for economic growth.

She said Zimbabwe was an agro-based economy and implored the young women to come up with initiatives for value addition and beneficiation of raw materials to reduce the import bill.

Although the Government has set aside a quota for women, Minister Mavhunga encouraged more women to get into Parliament through the first-past-the-post system.

Speaking at the same event, Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Cde Kazembe Kazembe advised Young Women for Economic Development to avoid entering into relationships with older men for financial gain or accepting conditional assistance. He said people should assist young women wholeheartedly and unconditionally without expecting anything in return.

"Be wary of ‘mbinga'. Let's help these young women work wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return," said Minister Kazembe.

"I want to thank the young women for taking this programme seriously.

"Mashonaland Central will support you as a party unconditionally. President Mnangagwa has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he has the youths at heart. He has shown it through yourselves and he has set aside a quota for youths in Parliament. Take advantage of these opportunities; the sky is the limit."

Zanu-PF provincial Women's League chairperson Cde Tsitsi Gezi said they were looking up to the young women to take women empowerment further.

Young Women for Economic Development national chairperson, Cde Tatenda Mavetera, said it was time for women to rise from the periphery and get involved in economic development.

"Vision 2030 needs all of us to improve our economy towards an upper middle income class," she said.

"We also need to address the issue of empowerment, but we are happy that the blueprint and thrust is already there in the National Development Strategy 1. We are the major stakeholders.

"The First Lady Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa has an inclusive agenda and has set the foundation. All we need is to take the button and go forward. Women empowerment has nothing to do with political affiliation, but getting involved."

A business expo with exhibitions from sculptors, clothes and detergents manufacturing and farm produce was held as part of the event.