Buhera Women Thrive Under Presidential Borehole Scheme, Challenging Traditional Roles
MANICALAND, BUHERA – The Village Business Units (VBUs) in Buhera, designed to boost rural economies and modernization, are now fully operational, with villagers selling their irrigation produce at competitive rates.
Buhera boasts over 100 irrigation projects, yielding a variety of produce including fresh maize, cabbages, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and rape.
These VBUs are being managed commercially to attract working capital, cover ongoing costs, and alleviate the effects of the El Niño drought that has impacted Zimbabwe and other Southern African nations.
The initiative is led by Prevail Group International, responsible for drilling boreholes in remote and marginalized communities across the country.
Dr. Paul Tungwarara, Presidential Special Advisor and Chairman of Prevail Group International, commended President Emmerson Mnangagwa for supporting this national project, which empowers villagers throughout Zimbabwe.
Dr. Tungwarara expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for providing Buhera with water and nutritional gardens. He noted that nearly 100 village business units have been established in the district.
Villagers are now harvesting various crops nationwide, including maize, tomatoes, onions, and vegetables, with the scheme proving to be a significant economic empowerment tool while also helping to combat hunger.
Dr. Tungwarara also highlighted job creation, stating that each province employs 60 people directly, with many more benefiting downstream. He praised President Mnangagwa’s program for reaching even the most remote areas, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
The initiative has established 38 business units so far, with plans to reach 50 before independence. The program extends beyond Buhera to areas such as Gutu, Plumtree, and Wedza.
Prevail Group International, with its experienced team, employs both skilled and semi-skilled workers across all 10 provinces, with each province having over 50 staff members.
The VBUs also contribute downstream benefits, with Prevail Group International’s borehole drilling program creating over 500 jobs nationwide, in line with the goal of leaving no one and no place behind.
Last November, the cabinet directed the establishment of 10,000 business units as part of the presidential borehole drilling program to economically empower marginalized communities.
Beneficiaries from Buhera district have praised the VBUs for generating income and local employment, enhancing villagers’ control over their economies.
Isaac Gandi, village head of Buhera’s Gandi village, commended the presidential borehole scheme for its impact in reducing poverty and addressing drought and water shortages. He noted a shift from subsistence farming to commercial agrarian economies, with villagers now producing surplus food for local markets.
In Bindura, rural women, once marginalized, are significant beneficiaries of the VBUs. Gertrude Mapanzure from Mbizi village praised the presidential borehole scheme for empowering women to become financial contributors to their families, challenging traditional gender roles.
Mapanzure expressed her appreciation for President Mnangagwa’s initiative, which has enabled women to support their families and communities financially, breaking through societal barriers that once limited their economic roles.
Currently, Dzenga VBUs has over 100 registered beneficiaries involved in the presidential irrigation scheme, including commercial farmers.
