The Goat Pass-on Programme is a people-centred initiative that embodies the spirit and enduring values of empowerment, wealth creation, resilience and improving the livelihoods of rural communities, Agric4She patron, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, said while handing over 1 000 goats to Young Women for Economic Development (YW4ED) in Masvingo.
Goats are generally an easier and cheaper option for
livestock production as they can thrive even in difficult conditions.
Amai Mnangagwa said the goat-pass on scheme was more than
just asset creation through improving livestock breeds, but symbolises
individual and collective quest for self-reliance, production and productivity.
She urged the young women from all the seven districts of
Masvingo to pass-on the goats to vulnerable groups like the elderly, those with
disabilities, widows and child-headed families so that they are not left out on
the pedestal of success.
The First Lady has become synonymous with the economic
emancipation of women to restore their dignity and ensure they respectably
raise their families without venturing into vices like prostitution and drug
abuse.
As the Agric4SHE patron, Amai Mnangagwa gave farming inputs
to vulnerable groups of people.
The inputs included Compound D, Ammonium Nitrate, maize
seed, sorghum seed, sunflower seed, ground nuts, velvet beans, vegetable combo
seed, knapsack sprayers and pesticides.
Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, she also gifted the
elderly, people with disabilities and orphans, some groceries while everyone in
attendance walked away with rice and mealie-meal.
The mother of the nation also commissioned a solar-powered borehole and initiated nutrition gardens and fish ponds at Chidzikwe Secondary School.
In her address, the First Lady rallied women to be
self-sustainable and to engage in projects that benefit future generations.
“As we gather here, we are not just participants in a
programme but part of a community that is united and focused on uplifting
ourselves and future generations into prosperity. Emboldened by the development
philosophy ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’ and through the implementation of
life-transforming projects and programmes, we are truly on to become masters of
our destiny. Congratulations, makorokoto for this milestone,” she said.
At its core, the First Lady said, the Goat Pass-on
Programme is more than just asset creation through improving livestock
population and breeding.
“It symbolises our individual and collective quest for
self-reliance, production and productivity, and eventually sustainable
household livelihoods. By providing goats to women in our communities, we are
not only offering a source of income but also creating a pathway for personal
and collective growth.
“This is what it means to be united as a community.
Together you will continue to achieve more and help transform your quality of
life,” she said.
Poverty, particularly its negative impact on women and
children, is a challenge that demands collective attention, the First Lady
said.
Therefore, she said, access to productive resources,
including livestock can be a powerful tool in breaking the cycle of poverty.
“Small livestock, including goats, offer a remarkable
pathway to economic empowerment, especially for vulnerable households. I urge
each of you to embrace the opportunity this programme presents. Let us pass on
not just goats, but also knowledge, skills, support, and provision of safety
nets.
“This includes cross-cutting areas such as the fight
against gender-based violence, drug and substance abuse and improving health
awareness on critical diseases such as cancer, among others. Herald
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