From the $140 000 grant, $40 000,00 came from the US while the African Development Fund chipped in with $100 000,00.
The grant is part of the Special Self-Help Small Grants Program which began in 1980 and is aimed at funding projects from small development activities in developing countries.
Speaking at the grant signing ceremony, US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton said: “These grants recognise communities that are already working together to address their own needs. Each of the grants will sign today is matched by investments made by the communities themselves—in time, planning, research and labour.
“The key to this program is that we seek to be partners with and provide support to communities that are already working to help themselves.”
Wharton said self-help groups have a huge potential in developing communities.
“They (self-help groups) can be used for constructing classrooms, community centers, housing for teachers and nurses, to support irrigation schemes, erect water tanks, and establish vocational training for women, youth orphans and persons with disabilities or for income generating projects such as poultry, piggery, grinding mills and market gardens,” said Wharton.
Groups that benefited from the grant are Bonda Art and Craft Community based in Mutasa district in Manicaland province, Little Children of the Blessed Lady (Domboshava), Rose of Charity Orphanage (Victoria Falls) and Binga Craft Centre.
The other beneficiaries are Dombodema Secondary Schooland St Francis Tshitshi Seconday School (Plumtree), Takaza Horticulture Community (Shurugwi) and Vungu Secondary School Lower Gweru).
Through the grants, the community groups are expected to strengthen programmes that seek to help people with HIV/AIDS, boosting of market gardening, piggery and poultry projects, as well as assisting orphans.
Post published in: News