By Romeo Takundwa
The women’s empowerment bank has not sponsored any businesswomen or women’s organisations in Mashonaland Central Province since its launch nearly four years ago.
This was revealed by Deputy Speaker of the Senate Tsitsi Gezi on Tuesday.
Speaking during a ZANU PF Provincial women’s league, Tsitsi Gezi who is Mashonaland Central ZANU PF women’s league said mounts of proposals have been send to the bank through the Ministry of Women Affairs but without any response.
Gezi added that several women in Mashonaland Central in and outside the ruling party were willing to contribute towards the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), but the bank was hindering them from doing that.
She appealed to her seniors in the party and the bank to come to intervene.
Several women in Mashonaland Central province practice agriculture mainly animal husbandry including poultry production and others run small bakeries.
Gezi said, “The availability of the funds to women will also help beneficiaries to be independent in their finances rather than being dependent on their spouses”.
She reiterated that the availability of loans will go a long way in alleviating women from poverty and in the same process will help in the creation of employment.
The Herald last year reported that Empower bank recorded a loss after tax of $5,4 million for its financial year results.
The bank was formed in 2018 to empower women nationwide.