Women called to form clubs to access financial support

–Gender and Child Development Minister Inonge Wina has implored women and youths in Chief Macha’s areas to form clubs in a bid to access funds from the Citizen Economic Empowerment Program (CEEC) and government.

Ms Wina said once women and the youths organise themselves and form clubs then it will be easy for them to get assistance from her ministry and CEEC.

The minister disclosed that her ministry has initiated programmes aimed at empowering the women leaving in rural areas.

She explained that government realised the hardships that women in rural areas are faced with and initiated programme targeting the needs of rural women.

Ms Wina stated that women in rural areas are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged noting that poverty is more refit among the women.

She told the women that time has come for them to organise themselves and engage in empowerment programmes that will enable them send their children to school and look after the aged in society.

The minister explained that ounce women empower themselves through clubs the male fork will respect them.

Ms Wina said most men have gotten away with gender based violence because women fear to report as they risk losing their marriages.

She urged women not to keep silent when they are being abused but to report such men to police and let the law take its course.

The minister disclosed to the women that her ministry has received funds from the ministry of finance for procuring farming equipment for empowering women.

She cited ploughs, pumps, hammer meals, boats and nets  as some of the equipments that her ministry has purchased in an effort to empower the rural women.

She further advised the women to go into village chicken rearing and animal stocking.

The gender minister has since called upon the women to visit her ministry and see some of the programmes government has put in place for them.

She encouraged the women who attended the meeting to spread the information on programmes government has for empowering the women.

Meanwhile Ms Wina has castigated the opposition UPND for alleged hindering Members of Parliament (MPs) from working with the government in bring development to constituencies.

She explained some UPND MPs don’t even know the programmes government has for empowering the women because the party does not allow them to interact with PF ministers.

She said the development has made it difficult for some MPs to partner with government hence some MPs defecting to PF.

The minister insisted that developmental programs championed by the government are for everybody to benefit from.