Tackling poverty through women clubs

By NKWETO MFULA
GOVERNMENT’S call on women clubs in Chingola benefitting from empowerment funds is that stakeholders should utilise the resources wisely to help uplift living standards of beneficiaries.
The aim is to reduce poverty at community level. Chingola is one such district with vibrant women’s clubs with the aim of empowering vulnerable households.
Chingola is growing at a rapid rate. In 1990, the  population was 168,999 and grew to 172,026 in 2000. and now the population stands at 216,626, according to central statistical office.
The mining town has a total of 167 women’s clubs, 47 of which have already benefitted from the women empowerment funds from Government, through the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health.
A total of K479,000 was disbursed to beneficiaries from November last year through the office of the Chingola district commissioner, George Sichula.
The grants and loans are given out according to the request by various women clubs and amounts range from K1000 to K10,000.
Mulopwe Women Club in Chingola is one of the beneficiaries of Government’s women empowerment funds.
Club secretary Grace Mumba said the group has ventured into poultry farming because they want a good return on their investment and possibly create a revolving fund.
“We were trained in poultry management as that was the main venture we wanted to invest in as Mulopwe Women Club,” she said.
Ms Mumba, 50, a widow, commended Government for recognising vulnerable women in society in its drive to empower vulnerable households.
She said the money that would be generated from the poultry farm will go towards supporting the school needs of orphans. These are orphans who are being sponsored by the club.
And acting district community development officer, Grace Mutale said Government has increased the seed money from K1,000 to K10,000 according to the request of beneficiaries.
“From 2009 to 2011 it was K2,000 per group, while in 2012, it was raised to K5,000 and in 2013 and this year it has gone up to K10,000. And this will depend on the requests of particular women clubs,” she said.
Mrs Mutale was however, concerned with the lack of training after beneficiaries have been given money for their various economic activities.
“What is lacking in women is training, and as a social welfare department we are looking at how best we can start training them in their various fields before they can access funding,” she said.
Currently women clubs in Chingola are being guided by sub-centre officers on the kind of economic venture they could possibly engage in.
“What is lacking now is the monitoring part [of projects]. We require funders to conduct routine checks on how the money is being utilised,” she said.
Chingola district commessioner, George  Sichula said his office will work hand in hand with the vulnerable in society to uplift living standards and consequently reduce the high levels of poverty in Chingola.
“We are going to keep an eye on what you will be doing with the money you are being given, with a view of seeing your households attain better living standards,” he said.
Mr Sichula, who recently gave out cheques worth K190,000 to women clubs in Chingola, said Government was simply fulfilling its campaign promise of improving human welfare.
He urged women to use the money for the intended purpose.
And Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health Joseph Katema was not satisfied with the number of women clubs in Chingola.
Dr Katema said he was looking forward for an expanded woman grouping in the mining town in order to speed up poverty reduction programmes in the communities.
“Every woman should get involved in some business venture. It is time for women to form business clubs to access money from Government through the women empowerment programmes. We are committed to reduce poverty at household level,” he said.
Dr Katema, who is Chingola central member of parliament,  said this recently during a meeting with women traders in his constituency.
Government has set aside funds under the empowerment programme which should run as a revolving fund.
Dr Katema urged women traders not to borrow money, commonly known as Kaloba, from informal lenders, but should rather form clubs to benefit from the empowerment fund.
He said women are generally good managers of businesses families. The Minister said women have contributed significantly to supporting families and poverty reduction at household level.
He said unlike women, some men have an I don’t care attitude; “There could be nothing to eat at home, but at the end of the day, the man will come back home drunk,” he said.