Help Rural Women Start Income Generating Projects

The Mushroom and Bee Keeping Project is at the heart of the Tekeshe Foundation and our strategy in the fight to combat the underlying causes of poverty and poor health among disadvantaged rural women in Chipinge.

WHY THIS PROJECT IS VERY IMPORTANT

We strongly believe that improving the socio-economic status of women in the developing world is key to fighting and ending global poverty. They are the linchpins of their families, and therefore of their communities. With education, skills and basic resources, they can become catalysts for change. Women can help build a better world for all. When their livehoods are improved they can earn enough income and be in a better position to feed their faimilies, send their children to school and they will have access to better heath care.

 Women’s health is very important in the fight against poverty. When a mother is ill and cannot work or care for her children, the whole family suffers. Basic health issues, from the dangers of unassisted birth to preventable diseases such as malaria, TB and AIDS put women and their families at terrible risk.

Thelma

Together we have the ability to empower these women and put them in a better position to help their families.  This holiday season as we go out and buy gifts for our friends and families let us take time to remember those who are less fortunate than us. 

Best wishes and Happy Holidays!!!!!!

Please donate as little $10.00 this Christmas to make 2012 a better year for disadvantaged rural women in Chipinge!

Thank you in advance for supporting this cause.

Our mushroom project has not taken off as anticipated because we have not raised enough funds to launch the project. We are appealing to donors to help the women in these rural areas. These women are very hard working. They spend hours and hours in the fields tending crops but unfortunately this area of Zimbabwe experiences droughts quite often. Despite all the hard work, these women end up with no crops. The mushroom and beehives will really help these women. Not only will they use the mushrooms and honey to feed their families but they will also be able to sell the mushrooms and honey and earn money to support their families. This project has a trickle effect. When women are empowered they are in a better position to feed their families and they can afford to send their children to school. They can also afford better health care. As a result, whole communities and societies benefit when women are empowered.

For the past 4 years, through partnerships with local churches in New England, we have managed to send 440 foot containers of food and clothing, medical supplies and school supplies to Zimbabwe to help these women and their families. The donated items really helped these families during this very difficulty time that they are experiencing. They are very grateful to receive outside help, however they dont want to rely on outside help in perpetuity - they are willing to work hard to lift themselves out of poverty. All they need is help to get back on their feet.

The Tekeshe Foundation firmly believes in lifting people out of poverty and building a culture of economic independence. We are guided by the old saying, "When you give a man a fish he will eat for a life time. When you give him a fishing rod and teach him how to fish he will eat for a life time." This holistic approach ensures that families have enough food to eat and looks out for their long term economic propspects.

We are asking donors who care about women empowerment to help us help these women. I thank you in advance for supporting this cause.

Links:

• Food and Clothing Program