'TARIRO' Give HOPE to 100 women in rural Zimbabwe

The women in ‘Tariro’ Savings Groups (SGs) remain united and resilient as Zimbabwe grapples with the reality of climate change and prolonged drought. They continue to meet regularly to pool the earnings from their various enterprises. Working together sharing ideas, encouragement, and their collective loan fund; they are determined to survive and thrive!

Manicaland Province in Eastern Zimbabwe is being devastated by drought. The El Nino declared national disaster lingers. Much-needed World Food Program food aid recently came to a halt as the Trump administration’s “America First” agenda stopped food aid abruptly. The loss of livestock, an essential livelihood source for these rural communities, has deepened poverty and inequality.

Traditionally, these women grow Maize – a water intensive crop which is extremely sensitive to shifts in climate. Thanks to, ‘Tariro’ these women are informed and put their learning into practice - diversifying into drought-resistant crops such as millet, using perma-culture techniques to preserve water such as no-tillage agriculture and water harvesting. Working together to ensure their families will continue to flourish during these challenging times.

The project goal is for one hundred women to receive SG training AND small business skills training in Selection, Planning and Management (SPM). To date, forty women have had SG training and are now active in ‘Tariro’ Savings Groups. According to Director Mr. Causemore Samanga on the ground in Zimbabwe, who has over two decades of experience managing SGs in eastern Zimbabwe, “It’s a miracle from God – witnessing a women’s rapid business growth after SPM training. We look forward to offering this life- changing training to boost the spirits and income of these determined women and to help their children survive during this extremely difficult time!”