BY NONHLANHLA MKHABELA
EZULWINI – Eswatini women flocking into Agriculture business.
Marydee Isbuko Serenity Foundation is a registered non-profit making organization [NPO] which started operating in October 2016. MISF has successfully launched Women Farmers project on the 18th of November 2022 at Nshakabili Community. This project started last year after having received a grant of $8,350.00 from the American Embassy.
Through this funding, MISF purchased a 5000L water tank, a pit latrine toilet, fencing materials, irrigation materials which includes sprinklers, water pipes and well- built water stand for the women. This was done in partnership with Mbulazi Nursey for consistently providing women farmers with seedlings, NAMBOARD, University of Eswatini Centre for Community Services and PELUM Eswatini.
The foundation focuses on Agri-Entrepreneurship that implements the ‘Essence of Sisterhood Entrepreneurship Programme’. During an interview with the Founder and President, Dudu Mary Dube, she mentioned that the MISF food security programme for unemployed women and vulnerable girls aims to accelerate economic growth and create equal opportunities. Dube is an International Award winner and has received two [2] International Awards for leadership by Farah Delanco Foundation in New York and in the United States.
“MISF is committed to bringing positive change to underprivileged, unemployed women and vulnerable girls through the provision of sustainable income generating initiatives that guarantee financial stability, while raising responsive boys in a conducive healthy environment. However, we would not have achieved our vision at Nshakabili without the generous grant of USD $8,350.00 from the United States of America Embassy. This has also been achieved in collaboration with the women and girls who are introduced to the agribusiness. To foster equality and inclusion, MISF is now including the boy child in the Agri-Entrepreneurship Programme. This means that, out of 15 women and girls, 5 of them are males” said Dube during the launch.
Representing the Board Chairperson of Directors, Mbuso Gamedze, the Fundraising Chairperson Committee shared that agriculture is the backbone of most households and back in the days, it sustained homes and livelihoods and this is what the organisation wishes to revive through the Nshakabili Women Farmers project. Notably, this is the third project launched by the MISF. Firstly, it was at Ekudzeni and the former US Ambassador, Lisa Peterson was a guest speaker. This year March at Esibuyeni and on Friday, the US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Caitlin Piper was present.
Dube added that before they received the grant from the US Embassy, Nshakabili MISF Women Farmers had a huge challenge of livestock eating their produce as they did not have agricultural infrastructure; fencing and irrigation equipment’s. Due to the grant, the farmers were able to access a pit latrine toilet which is an effective sanitation system. “Fencing of the garden was a breakthrough for the women farmers as they will now produce fresh vegetables and not be worried about intruding people and livestock. The community will now have access to fresh vegetables and will no longer need to travel to shops in Manzini, Mbabane and Ezulwini to buy vegetables” she said.
This project will benefit direct beneficiaries which is an estimation of 150 individuals from their homestead, who fully depend on them. Also, the indirectly, a total of 45 homesteads with an average of population of 450 people who are near the premises of the project will benefit. Lastly, the future beneficiaries which is an estimation of at least 4,000 future beneficiaries, most of them being women. Dube expressed her gratitude to the Nshakabili Bomake, Ezulwini Chieftaincy, Lobamba Inkhundla, MISF Board of Directors, admin team, volunteers and to Ms. Monalisa Zeeman for granting them a portion of her land for a period of 10 years.
