Women's Day Celebrated in Style

By Luumuno S. Mudenda

Binga women celebrated in style the women’s day commemoration celebrated and hosted in Kariangwe ward 15. This event is a day to commemorate and recognize the achievements of women and to raise awareness for the social, economic as well as political equality of women around the whole world regardless of nationality, culture and language of people. “Linking women to markets: changing the face of Development through Zim-Asset” was the theme of the commemoration.

Originally started in 1909 as a Political and Socialist Movement in European countries, women’s day is now internationally celebrated. Years back women were seen as inferior to men; they were submissive, docile to man. This has seen women fighting for their rights so as to be recognized in the society. The commemoration was a way to appreciate women for the hard work they do in the community be it political, social or economical.

Men join women in celebrating the women's Day

Women in various departments rose to encourage other women to also participate in the society. Maria Mudenda a member of Self-Help Group from Sinansengwe under Basilwizi Project explained the concept to the women encouraging them to form groups as she was yielding good results from the project.

“We should not wait for man to do everything for us, we are capable of doing great things ourselves, when I joined self-help group I had nothing but now I own a cattle showing evidence of fruitful results. I encourage all of you to join these groups and I assure you that your life will change”.

For over 34 years, Binga councilors were dominated by males, and for the first time, a female councilor was elected in 2013. Judith Sibanda, the first female councilor of Kaani ward attended the event to commemorate the day as well as to assure women that they are very much capable to be in decision making roles, but talked of struggles faced by women as they are always considered as an inferior.

“I struggled to get where I am, it needs patience and dedication, I am grateful that I had a husband who supported me all the way, who had faith in me”, says Judith Sibanda.

First Woman Councilor - Ms J. Sibanda

Men attended the function to support women. This was seen as a great step which showed that man had recognized women making them equal to men. That is showing the decline of patriarchal society.

Mrs. Danisa Mudimba, the board member of Zubo as well as the Area coordinator of Basilwizi made a sensational speech `highlighting the different programmes of women empowerment which include, Kapenta fishing, amarula and baobab exploitation, fish selling and lending schemes.

“Our main objective is to improve the economic status of women and girls as well as tackle gender based violence through capacity building and strengthening of actors and structures that can help mitigate against the violence’’ said MrsMudimba

We work with Women’s forums and women’s microfinance groups (village and saving), these are critical central points where women meet and deliberate gender issues without fear of the male counterparts, these projects interventions build the beneficiaries’ confidence, uplift their self-esteem, capacitate them to take up leadership positions and enable them to participate more actively in household, business and community decision making process’’, she added.                                         

Women on the move

Basilwizi intern,Luumuno

with Lubu chilimba dance group