Monze Town Council has disclosed that it has started handing over the Soft Adaptation empowerment projects to clubs and co-operatives who are beneficiaries of the government sponsored Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Kafue Sub-basin (SCRIKA) in Bweengwa Constituency.
Speaking to the media, District Administrative Officer Gorret Bbalo said the handover had been earmarked for March but only commenced two weeks ago due to some challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic which had put most economic activities on hold globally.
Ms. Bbalo stated that the two clubs that have received the soft adaptation economic empowerment are Moonzwe and Mansangu and have been given 5, 000 fingerlings each and some different types of vegetables which will help them sustain their economic activities.
She added that other clubs that have received some empowerment are Mooya and Mutanzhi who received 70 liters of dipping chemicals for cattle each.
Ms. Bbalo called on the beneficiaries to guard the projects jealously and ensure that ventures uplift the lives of those who belong to the two respective clubs.
“Let’s guard these projects jealously. These projects are intended to help uplift the livelihood of communities in your respective wards. Government has seen it fit to give you a bit of a push in the back and it is only fair that you make sure that we see the benefits. We have heard many times that government has tried to help people with such economic empowerment but ended up regretting because some selfish individuals have either personalized the projects or people have just failed to run the businesses.”
“We want to see a change in these communities. We want you to diversify your farming activities that’s we have co-operatives going into fish farming while others have gone into poultry because we don’t want to see people suffering the way they suffered during the period we had challenges with rains and when we had foot and mouth disease. We don’t need to put our eggs in one basket,” Ms. Bbalo said.
The supplier of the poultry farming clubs has been engaged and will finalize the process within a few weeks leading the handover to the 9 clubs.