Reporter Jacqueline Mbedzi’s face radiates with joy as she recounts her journey of transforming a modest monthly payment into a thriving business through a program designed to uplift impoverished households in Zimbabwe.Mbedzi, a resilient single mother of two residing in the high-density suburb of Dulibadzimu in Beitbridge, is among the many beneficiaries of the Emergency Social Cash Transfer (ESCT) program.
This initiative, implemented by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare in collaboration with UNICEF and partners, receives funding from Germany through the KfW Development Bank.Having joined the program last year, Mbedzi’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to rally two friends to form a savings club, utilizing their ESCT monthly payouts as capital to kickstart their own businesses. Recounting her circumstances, Mbedzi shared, “I live with my two children, brother, sister, and even my landlord’s child. Previously, I made ends meet by assisting travelers at the border with their luggage for a small fee.
However, everything changed when I encountered a team from UNICEF and its partners, who enrolled me in the cash transfer program. With a monthly allowance of US$52, I decided to engage my friends in exploring ways to improve our lives. This led us to establish a savings club, pooling our resources to revitalize our small-scale enterprises.
“Mbedzi’s business revolves around the import and sale of essential commodities sourced from neighboring South Africa. The success she has achieved is evident, as she is currently constructing a shop on land she acquired in 2017 in her rural home of Mzingwane, within the Beitbridge district.With unwavering dedication, Mbedzi meticulously keeps track of her transactions, monitoring the progress of her business while safeguarding her capital reserves. “I am incredibly grateful to UNICEF and its partners for the life-changing impact they have had on my family,” she expressed.
“They have bestowed upon me a sense of dignity. I urge fellow women to seize such opportunities fully and invest the funds in endeavors that will yield long-term benefits, rather than solely focusing on immediate needs.”Mbedzi no longer encounters the struggles she once faced in providing food for her children and promptly paying their school fees. The other members of the savings club are engaged in a truck-shop and poultry project, respectively, further exemplifying the program’s positive influence UNICEF’s commitment to empowering women like Mbedzi is a testament to their dedication to creating a brighter future for vulnerable communities.
Source: UNICEF