Katima Mulilo
About 17 SMEs from eight constituencies in Zambezi Region recently received equipment aid for self-support, under an initiative of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.
SMEs were each awarded income-generating equipment depending on their type of business.
The equipment aid has a combined value of N$189 474. Those who benefited were SMEs involved in gardening, small stock farming, brick-making, poultry, carpentry and car-washing.
Speaking at the handover ceremony the Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Doreen Sioka, said the ministry encourages community members to embark on economically viable projects that could be sustained in the long run to help uplift communities.
“To this very end the ministry provides start-up funds, which are complemented by training in basic business management skills as incentive towards ensuring efforts that contribute to poverty alleviation.”
She encouraged the beneficiaries to make use of the equipment they received to grow their business.
“You have been selected to be recipients and have been empowered to eliminate poverty in the region. The equipment has been given to you to use to uplift yourselves and your immediate family members, not for you to sell them,” advised Sioka.
Beneficiaries were in a joyous mood to have been the lucky ones to get assistance and vowed to utilise the material in a productive way, so that they contribute positively to the country’s economic growth.
“I am very thankful to have received the equipment and now the harvest will be big,” said Euster Malilo, one of the beneficiaries who owns a gardening project.
Malilo explained that he is into vegetable farming. Previously he used to struggle to water his vegetables but after receiving a generator and water tank his job has been made easier, he added.
“We used to use water cans to water our vegetables.” he said.