Siansundu in Binga North District, 433 kilometres from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city. The area is a rural district, and has largely been neglected by way of development over the years. Roads in the district are mostly gravel and become impassable during the rainy season. The community is Tonga speaking and is heavily patriarchal, with women mostly sidelined from economic activities.
Milimo Bukoko is a married mother of 4 who earns a living through selling dried fish at the local shopping centre. Milimo was part of community members that attended a training session in September under the Valuing Women’s Work (VWW) project organised by Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET). In attendance were also traditional leaders.
Milimo, who’s husband was also in attendance, has hailed the training session, saying the involvement of males and traditional leaders had greatly assisted in a shifting of mindsets, as she can testify in how her husband has been relating with her. She said that prior to them attending the training, her husband was largely unsupportive of her project, but of late is now an integral part of it, as he has joined in with a cooperative that is into kapenta harvesting. This has boosted their household incomes and it has translated to harmony in their marriage.
Milimo said the testimonies that other women gave in speaking to the power structures that exist in their households seem to have contributed to the breaking of traditional norms and practices.
Of special mention by Milimo was the role that the village heads led by Headman Munsaka who attended the meeting have played, as they took on board all the deliberations and subsequently held a meeting with other male folk and village heads who were unable to attend. Milimo said it was important to have more programmes that speak to empowering women and sharing of the care burden so as to give more opportunities to women. Through the increase in household income, Milimo is now able to also buy traditional mats and baskets that she sends for resale in Bulawayo.
