News / National
Qoki Zindlovukazi constructs 200 townhouses
05 Sep 2022 at 01:39hrs | Views
QOKI Zindlovukazi is building more than 200 townhouses in Bulawayo that will accommodate its founders, who are diaspora-based Zimbabwean women, once they retire from their jobs overseas.
The construction projects in the eastern suburbs of Waterford and Douglasdale have also created employment for locals and brought in forex for business people.
The women's organisation is an inspirational example of the limitless achievements that are possible through determination, focus, teamwork and having a vision.
Qoki Zindlovukazi was formed in 2016 and now boasts more than 10 000 members scattered across the world. It has invested over US$8 million into various sectors of the economy since 2017 including farming, health, energy and property in Zimbabwe and in South Africa.
Since its establishment, Qoki has developed housing stands in Bulawayo and constructed houses in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The organisation is involved in several projects, including borehole drilling in Matabeleland and the Midlands, construction of a school and a clinic in Bulawayo, as well as setting up a tomato canning factory in South Africa.
In addition, Qoki has also ventured into trucking and logistics, and supported a solar and geyser project in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces. At the height of Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation donated personal protective equipment to Mpilo and Thorngrove hospitals.
Commenting on the townhouse project, Qoki founder and chief executive officer, Ms Sithule Tshuma said the trust was ensuring that they all retire in style after investing in decent homes and services in Bulawayo.
"Just like in Douglasdale, we bought this land as ladies, 47 ladies and we are now working on pegging, roads, house designs, sewer water before we start building our town houses. The idea is when we retire, we need to come back home to decent accommodation that will reflect the hard work we put in during our days in the diaspora, I mean we work so hard," said Ms Tshuma.
"This is after we realised that back home, a majority of us do not have our own homes hence we decided to unite and buy virgin land in Bulawayo. Such things are possible when you are goal oriented and like-minded women. I mean, we realised it's cheaper to do it as a team than as individuals," she said.
Ms Tshuma said Qoki women purchase land and then share expenses.
"In Douglasdale we have two sites, with 84 town houses in total that we are working on. In Waterford we have 47 town houses and all these belong to our members who are committed to investing in their futures, back home. We have more than 16 sites around Bulawayo that we plan on developing so that each of us has their own house eventually. We have land in Burnside, Riverside, Woodville, Nondweni along Airport Road and we are working flat out to develop these.
"Getting land is not that difficult but developing requires us to be vigilant and I am happy to say that we are on track, soon we will have our homes."
Besides the town houses, Qoki women are also mulling buying ambulances that will help improve service delivery in the future when they retire.
"We have different sizes in terms of land, some sites have 97, some 38 some 82 houses. These are not for sale mind you; it's stands that already have owners in the diaspora who are working towards constructing back home," she said.
Qoki ladies have also secured 30 hectares of land to construct Esigodini Girls College, which was bought by 30 of their members to meet educational needs of women and girls.
To mitigate health challenges faced by communities in the region, Qoki opened a health care centre at corner Fife Street and 11th Avenue in Bulawayo and the clinic offers kidney dialysis, postnatal care, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment as well as support for domestic abuse survivors.
Last year when Bulawayo was battling a cholera outbreak which was worsened by erratic water supplies, Qoki women supplied affected residents in Luveve and Gwabalanda with clean water.
Besides property investments, Qoki women are also involved in farming.
They have a tomato canning business in South Africa where they produce ketchup and other tomato products.
Plans are underway to introduce the same concept in Zimbabwe.
The construction projects in the eastern suburbs of Waterford and Douglasdale have also created employment for locals and brought in forex for business people.
The women's organisation is an inspirational example of the limitless achievements that are possible through determination, focus, teamwork and having a vision.
Qoki Zindlovukazi was formed in 2016 and now boasts more than 10 000 members scattered across the world. It has invested over US$8 million into various sectors of the economy since 2017 including farming, health, energy and property in Zimbabwe and in South Africa.
Since its establishment, Qoki has developed housing stands in Bulawayo and constructed houses in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The organisation is involved in several projects, including borehole drilling in Matabeleland and the Midlands, construction of a school and a clinic in Bulawayo, as well as setting up a tomato canning factory in South Africa.
In addition, Qoki has also ventured into trucking and logistics, and supported a solar and geyser project in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces. At the height of Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation donated personal protective equipment to Mpilo and Thorngrove hospitals.
Commenting on the townhouse project, Qoki founder and chief executive officer, Ms Sithule Tshuma said the trust was ensuring that they all retire in style after investing in decent homes and services in Bulawayo.
"Just like in Douglasdale, we bought this land as ladies, 47 ladies and we are now working on pegging, roads, house designs, sewer water before we start building our town houses. The idea is when we retire, we need to come back home to decent accommodation that will reflect the hard work we put in during our days in the diaspora, I mean we work so hard," said Ms Tshuma.
"This is after we realised that back home, a majority of us do not have our own homes hence we decided to unite and buy virgin land in Bulawayo. Such things are possible when you are goal oriented and like-minded women. I mean, we realised it's cheaper to do it as a team than as individuals," she said.
Ms Tshuma said Qoki women purchase land and then share expenses.
"Getting land is not that difficult but developing requires us to be vigilant and I am happy to say that we are on track, soon we will have our homes."
Besides the town houses, Qoki women are also mulling buying ambulances that will help improve service delivery in the future when they retire.
"We have different sizes in terms of land, some sites have 97, some 38 some 82 houses. These are not for sale mind you; it's stands that already have owners in the diaspora who are working towards constructing back home," she said.
Qoki ladies have also secured 30 hectares of land to construct Esigodini Girls College, which was bought by 30 of their members to meet educational needs of women and girls.
To mitigate health challenges faced by communities in the region, Qoki opened a health care centre at corner Fife Street and 11th Avenue in Bulawayo and the clinic offers kidney dialysis, postnatal care, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment as well as support for domestic abuse survivors.
Last year when Bulawayo was battling a cholera outbreak which was worsened by erratic water supplies, Qoki women supplied affected residents in Luveve and Gwabalanda with clean water.
Besides property investments, Qoki women are also involved in farming.
They have a tomato canning business in South Africa where they produce ketchup and other tomato products.
Plans are underway to introduce the same concept in Zimbabwe.
Source - The Chronicle
