Stephen Chadenga
Kadoma City Council and International non-governmental organisation, Gender Links have joined hands in a women and youths waste management economic empowerment programme.
Kadoma mayor Nigel Ruzario said the initiative was part of his council’s efforts to promote gender inclusivity in the local economy.
“We have partnered with Gender Links to promote waste recycling, which has become a source of livelihood for women and youths,”Ruzario said.
“As a local authority we realised that there were many economic opportunities for women and youths that could be realised from from our new environmental awareness campaigns that focus on recycling and waste reduction. We are basically saying that proper and strategic waste management cannot only keep our city clean but bring economic benefits.”
Ruzario said women and youths were often sidelined in accessing equal economic opportunities hence his council’s efforts to include them in environmental initiatives particularly waste management.
According to a report from the Gender Links website, Kadoma joined the programme in 2023 and during the same year 28 people were trained in the Local Economic Development (LED) programme. Of the training beneficiaries, 14 were female, six men, five female youths and three male youths.
“To achieve its objectives of promoting Local Economic Development (LED) through waste management, the municipality joined the Promoting Gender Inclusive Local Economic Development in Zimbabwe programme in 2023,”noted Gender Links.
“The initiative being implemented in partnership with Gender Links seeks to promote waste recycling, which has become a source of livelihood for women and youths.”
Other initiatives being implemented by the council to empower the community include infrastructure development projects aimed at improving public transportation and community facilities, addressing financial challenges related to residents’ unpaid bills, improving water meter accuracy and a campaign to educate residents about recycling and waste reduction strategies among others.