michael verenga, zimbabwe, local economic development - summit 2012

7/31/2019 Michael Verenga, Zimbabwe, Local Economic Development - Summit 2012

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https://mail.google.com/mail/h/ekqn37zqpewi/?view=att&th=1363a08de71174c9&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw


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Zimbabwes 10 year severe socio-economic downturn resulted inunprecedented levels of job losses, unemployment, deteriorating socialservices and poverty.

Identified through

(i) door to door poverty assessment and verification surveys byCouncils

community development and poverty alleviation facilitators.

(ii) also from database on the disadvantaged and marginalizedgroups in the communities that is regularly updated with inputs from

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Socio-economic downturn and extreme poverty among marginalizedgroups.


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The database indicates that 64% of Gweru City households live below the povertyline, i.e. they have limited access to employment opportunities, health care,education, transport, housing and food.

The issue is important because high poverty levels result in such problems as illhealth, hunger, homelessness, crime, commercial sex, alcohol and drug abuseand lawlessness.

Also high poverty levels, lawlessness and other anti-social behaviour are areflection of our inability as Councils to discharge our socio-economic welfarefunction as the grass-roots level of government.

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The issue is important because high poverty levels result in such problems as illhealth, hunger, homelessness, crime, commercial sex, alcohol and drug abuseand lawlessness.

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Council is implementing a gender sensitive poverty reduction and local economicdevelopment project by:-

(i) identifying deserving individuals from unemployed marginalised groups

namely economically active women, the youth, elderly, the physically

challenged and illness affected people.

(ii) providing them with skills, working space (small workshops), tools and

equipment for the production of goods and services.

(iii) thus creating employment , entrepreneurship and income generating

opportunities so as to improve their livelihoods .P

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Providing marginalised groups with skills, tools and working space for theproduction of goods and services.

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Initial phase of resourcing and capacitation of target groups is30 months and thereafter 3 years incubation of target groups.

Thereafter, new target groups are again identified to benefitthrough the same process.

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Key targets and those involved

The key target of the project are women and other marginalised groups and the

breakdown is as follows:

unemployed economically active women (10)(including 4 widows)

unemployed youths (6 girls and 6 boys) (including child headers)

unemployed elderly people (8 men and 6 women)

unemployed physically challenged (8 females and 7 males)

unemployed illness affected people (7 females and 4 males)

Equal involvement

Both men and women are equally involved for the other marginalised groups but

economically active women have been given affirmative advantage in theproject.

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The key targets of the project are women, men including the physically challenged .

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Partnerships formed between Gweru City Council, Gweru District Gender Council, the Ward Development committee

and the European Union are all involved.

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135 000 was sourced as a donation from the European Union and30 000 isbeing provided by Council through its gender budget.

A project team of 7 senior Council officials ,gender focal person, ward councillor,development committee members and target groups representatives areexecuting the project.

In house expertise i.e. engineers, architects, artisans, supervisors, skills trainersare being provided by Council.

Labour for construction of the workshops to be recruited from the localcommunity on a gender balanced basis.

Building materials and other construction tools such as picks, shovels and

wheelbarrows as well as tool bank items for target groups shall be acquired bythe project.

1.5 hectares of land for developing the workshops has been provided by Council.

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Financial and other resources mobilised.
http://www.google.co.zw/imgres?imgurl=http://eurokulture.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/EurosC-7318.jpg&imgrefurl=http://eurokulture.missouri.edu/?p=3577&h=390&w=630&sz=132&tbnid=M9sOt0pCu8nN5M:&tbnh=85&tbnw=137&prev=/search?q=picture+of+euros+money&tbm=isch&tbo=u&zoom=1&q=picture+of+euros+money&hl=en&usg=__eLFQIn-CMEVKNYsRtjtvMwRXqjk=&sa=X&ei=IiFrT7HvNsPQhAe0pdmfBw&ved=0CBoQ9QEwBQ


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Project progress report back meetings for stakeholders - the primary message isthat social inclusion and gender mainstreaming are key success factors inimplementing local economic development and poverty reduction projects.

Participants at meetings wear project regalia i.e. t-shirts, hats, umbrellas, sling

bags branded with the same message. Bill board erected at project site and project rollup banner displayed at project

events are both branded with the project theme.

Short dramas by target groups (punctuated by speeches, song and dance) atprojects meetings also popularize the issue.

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Media being used to popularise the issue.


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Project team reports to Council and all stakeholders on project implementationprogress on a monthly basis.

Project team holds progress meetings, conducts projects site visits, identifieschallenges and takes corrective measures.

The Project Manager supervises implementation of the project on a daily basis,ensures that the project meets technical specifications, budget provisions,completion timelines and its overall objective.

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A total of 62 individuals including women and other marginalised groups have beenidentified on a gender balanced scale to benefit from the project.

Desired activities to be undertaken by the marginalised groups for incomegeneration and livelihoods have been identified, (e.g, dressmaking, tailoring, hairdressing, food processing, carpentry, metal fabrication, shoe repairs and plumbing)

Desired skills training has been identified , training programmes designed and skillstraining is in progress.

Required tools and equipment have been identified and procurement is in progress.

Construction of small workshops to be allocated to the individuals is in progress.

Social inclusion and gender mainstreaming have been achieved in implementingthe project.

The project has been widely publicized.P


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The project is helping to achieve Article 15-17 on Productive resources, employment and economic empowerment.

Adopt policies and enact laws which ensure equal access, benefits and opportunities for women and men in

trade and entrepreneurship, taking into account the contribution of women in the formal and informal sectors.

This project is giving equal access, benefits and opportunities to both marginalised women and men in acquiringskills, tools and equipment for engaging in informal sector entrepreneurship.

Review national trade and entrepreneurship polices, to make them gender responsive.

Council formulated its Gender Action Plan that has gender responsive policies on entrepreneurship asdemonstrated by this gender sensitive economic empowerment project.

With regard to the affirmative action provisions of Article 5, introduce measures to ensure that women benefitequally from economic opportunities, including those created through public procurement processes.

This project has given economically active women an affirmative advantage having taken consideration thatthey are more disadvantaged than their male counterparts when it comes to accessing economic opportunities.

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Urban poverty and the marginalization of women and other disadvantaged groups is

Prevalent in all cities in Zimbabwe and the SADC region as a whole.

The practice is sustainable and can be replicated as long as the following basic pre

conditions are prevailing.

Presence of high levels of poverty among urban communities.

High demand for working space, skills training, tools and equipment for engaging into

income generating activities among marginalized groups. Willingness of local government authorities and other development partners to fund

and implement such projects.

Capacity and commitment of local government authorities and community leaders tospearhead and mobilize their communities buy in, commitment, ownership andparticipation in the implementation of similar projects.

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michael verenga, zimbabwe, local economic development - summit 2012

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