Africa-Press – Angola. One hundred and 20 street vendors from the municipality of Huambo were trained, this Tuesday, in matters of economic empowerment and small business management, within the scope of the project “Votoka”, an expression in the national language Umbundu, which means “Stand up”.
The training action, which marked the opening of the African Women’s Day, scheduled to end on the 31st of the current month, was attended by the governor of Huambo province and project mentor, Lotti Nolika.
On the occasion, Lotti Nolika highlighted that the training, in partnership with the Angolan non-governmental organization Acção de Desenvolvimento Rural e Ambiente (ADRA), served to empower the zungueiras in matters of management and granting of small credits, to leverage commercial activity, focused on increasing family income.
The official informed that the project, implemented for more than two years, with funding from Fundação Brilhante, provides, for a group of 15 women, a credit of 500 thousand Kwanzas, equivalent to 33 thousand Kwanzas, for each one, to be reimbursed in seven months, of which one is free, with an interest rate of nine percent, to be applied to the same share.
He added that, in a first phase, the program being carried out by the Office of Social Action, Family and Gender Equality, in partnership with ADRA, in the field of training, with the forecast of covering street vendors in the municipalities of Bailundo, Caála , Cachiungo, Chicala-Cholohanga, Huambo and Longonjo, with 120 women each.
Lotti Nolika was satisfied with the evolution of the project, as it has helped to increase the commercial activity of hundreds of women who, previously, worked with less than five thousand Kwanzas, to provide the family income.
He highlighted the contribution of all funders, with emphasis on Fundação Brilhante, whose support will help, in less time, to cover the 11 municipalities of Huambo province.
In turn, the director of ADRA in the province of Huambo, Cidália Gomes, considered the project as part of the actions that contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the most needy families, both in terms of training and the provision of small credits .
Rosa Cabomde, representing the zungueiras, praised the initiative of Governor Lotti Nolika for the creation of this project, as it has helped to increase the commercial activity of many street vendors and, consequently, the livelihood of their families.
Created two years ago, the project “Votoka a Mãi Zungueira” on the personal initiative of Governor Lotti Nolika, has so far covered 1,800 women.
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