Service rich men to earn fees and subsistence, check. Sleep with lecturers for pass grades and some financial benefit, check. We regularly hear stories that convince us that these are the only options for young women in tertiary institutions where many students are struggling to afford tertiary education, while faced with low formal opportunities at the end of the struggle.
Young people like Yemurai Mhaka are rewriting the script of survival and success by turning to agriculture and agro-processing.
“Thank you, Women and Land In Zimbabwe, Embassy of Sweden in Harare We Effect Southern Africa and imoved for transforming my life. My future is now very bright because of your support,” said Yemurai, commenting on a Facebook post celebrating her story.
Under the IMOVED Project, supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Harare and We Effect Southern Africa, the organisation Women and Land in Zimbabwe is empowering women and youth to seize new opportunities in soybean, dairy, and horticulture value chains — sectors often overlooked in national economic discourse yet rich with potential for value addition.
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For Yemurai, that opportunity came through sunflower and soybean farming. What began as a small plot has grown into a thriving enterprise. She now processes sunflower into cooking oil and protein-rich sunflower cake, creating products that meet local demand while reducing imports.
The income she earns is helping her pay her university fees at Midlands State University, a milestone that reflects both personal determination and the transformative power of inclusive agricultural programmes.
Her story is one of many emerging across rural Zimbabwe — where empowerment meets innovation and where the narrative of agriculture is shifting from subsistence to value addition, sustainability, and dignity.
As climate change and economic uncertainty continue to test resilience, initiatives like IMOVED demonstrate the need to move from charity to smart economics. Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) is currently in the process of creating an investment map that shows the viability of profit driven investment into SDGs.
With support, training, and access to markets, communities are proving that the path to a strronger Zimbabwe can begin with a single seed — Like this 87 young woman’s dream.
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