Chisuma finds hope and opportunity at new empowerm...

Chisuma finds hope and opportunity at new empowerment centre

Oscar J Jeke

Zim Now Reporter

A beacon of hope has been ignited in the Chisuma area of Hwange District with the official commissioning of the Batoka Centres of Hope. This multipurpose center, constructed by the Jafuta Foundation, a non-governmental organization, is transforming lives by offering a unique blend of education, skills development, and community empowerment.

The Batoka Centres of Hope is more than just a building; it's a vibrant hub brimming with opportunity. It houses a women and youth empowerment center, an education and technology hub, and the Bulangazi House, a safe haven for women and girls.

The center is directly addressing the socio-economic needs of the community. Young women, like one beneficiary who exclaimed, "As a girl child, I had to do this. There is internet here and I came to this centre and passed," are finding access to education and technology that empowers them to break down barriers. Another beneficiary highlights the center's impact on career opportunities, stating, "I'm not a software programmer, I got this opportunity here."

The Zimbabwean government has lauded the Jafuta Foundation's initiative. Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development, expressed her admiration for the center's work. "I was impressed by the quality and standards of products which you are producing," she said, emphasizing the government's commitment to "find market linkages for your produce."

Sipho Moyo, the Jafuta Foundation Community Outreach Director, shed light on the center's educational focus. "We constructed this centre which came in as a centre for education programme," he explained. "We have been offering technology-based scholarships after realising we are not all academically gifted."