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A full time housewife who became an entrepreneur
“I was blessed to have a memorable experience with Gender Links entrepreneurship programme. Sharing my experience of gender based violence with other survivors encouraged me.”
Rosemary Muza joined Gender Links (GL) entrepreneurship programme in 2014 through Mrs Mchombo who is an official from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development. The decision to select Muza as a beneficiary of the entrepreneurship programme was made after it was realised that the woman was in need of help. Today, Muza vividly recall how Mchombo came to announce the good news about GL training and how it was going to help her not depend on her husband.
“I agreed to the call and attended the first and second phases of the training that equipped me with business knowledge,” Muza affirmed. Muza was not involved in any income generating project before she encountered GL. The training empowered her and she set up a small scale horticultural production project. She started growing and selling vegetables in her community. Since her project involves the production of perishable goods she started door to door service as a strategy to remain in business. Application of the knowledge she learnt during the training has contributed to the growth of her business.
“Before I encountered GL I was a full time housewife who was experiencing gender based violence (GBV). I could not think about any kind of business because of the stress I suffered. I was privileged to learn new ideas and to be able to work hard in order to earn a better living. I experienced GBV before my encounter with GL. My husband was very abusive both physically and emotionally. I would get beaten every time l asked for money for the upkeep of the family. The GBV in my marriage decreased from the time l stopped depending on my husband. I strongly believe that the training l got from GL has changed my husband and empowered me,” Muza claims.
During the first two phases of the training Muza was taught how to start her own businesses. Self-confidence and business management were some of the lessons she adopted from the two phases of the training. As the training progressed her intention was to attend all three stages of the training. Unfortunately, she failed to attend the third phase because she fell sick and was admitted to hospital.
Despite failing to complete the course due to ill health, Muza put all her effort into her new business and she started saving money in the bank. Muza’s financial status changed and she now has some disposable income. Although her husband was in the habit of taking money from her, she did not lose hope. However, she feels that without the council there is no way the change that took place in her life would have come her way.
“I owe it all to Zvimba Rural District Council because without the council I would not have been where I am today. The council assisted me by introducing me to GL,” Muza acknowledges.
The change that reflected in her relatives was her capability to provide for the family. She gained respect from her husband’s family because of the way she is now able to manage life without any help from her husband. Muza said she has experienced the fact that if a woman contributes financially in her family, it reduces GBV.
“In my community no one wanted to be associated with me because I was destitute. I was the laughing stock in the community and the situation led people to lose respect for me. GL brought light into my life and l managed to assist other people in my community with advice on how to solve marital problems amicably,” states Muza.
From the time Muza joined the GL training she has experienced many changes in her life. She learnt that working with your own hands and not depending on someone else makes a person well respected.
“A lot of changes took place in our family. I used to fight with my wife over monetary issues. The day that she started the training and stopped depending on me for survival all the quarrels stopped,” Tellme Muza, husband to Rosemary Muza.
In the future she wishes to have an irrigation scheme where she can practise horticulture on a large scale. She has hopes that her confidence will keep improving so that she can use it to market her products and become a well known business woman. “I would like to thank GL for intervening in my life at a time l needed help.”
📝Read the emotional article by @nokwe_mnomiya, with a personal plea: 🇿🇦Breaking the cycle of violence!https://t.co/6kPcu2Whwm pic.twitter.com/d60tsBqJwx
— Gender Links (@GenderLinks) December 17, 2024
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