Ruth Muchimbe, a gender focal person, said
the programme has had a ripple effect beyond
individual households, particularly through
ISALs that promote savings, lending and
collective growth.
“Through ISALs, I sell my produce in Mbalam
bala and I can pay school fees and buy
groceries without asking money from my
husband,” Muchimbe said. She noted that the
programme has restored dignity and deci
sion-making power to women.
Muchimbe said one of the most powerful
impacts has been on children’s education.
“There were children who were not going to
school because their mothers could not afford
fees. As gender focal persons, we visited
these women and taught them business skills.

Today, these women are paying school fees
and buying uniforms so their children do not
feel left out,” she said.
She added that women’s financial indepen
dence is translating into visible assets and
long-term security. “As we speak, I am build
ing a house using money from ISALs. It will
be a surprise to my husband when he returns
from South Africa in December, because I did
not ask him for money,” she said.
Across Mzingwane, this programme is
demonstrating how targeted support in docu
mentation, enterprise development, farming
and savings can empower women and youth
to take control of their lives. Participants say
the project has not only improved incomes
but also shifted mindsets, proving that with
knowledge, organisation and determination,
rural women and young people can build
sustainable futures for themselves and their
families.