Africa-Press – Botswana. First Lady, Ms Neo Masisi says she is cascading the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of gender equality by committing to advancing economic empowerment for women.
In order to successfully deliver on her commitment, Ms Masisi said that she would be guided amongst others by the country’s Vision 2036 that sought ‘Prosperity For All.’
Speaking during a re-visit of Mabolwe Women’s Mowana Project that amongst other things makes plain yogurt out of baobab fruits, the First Lady said that addressing the UN’s SDG of gender equality and attainment of prosperity for all would culminate in women empowerment greatly addressed.
In order to ensure that Mabolwe women’s project took off without hiccups, Ms Masisi summoned experts from National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) and Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, amongst others, to forge a smooth takeoff of the project.
Not only are the research institutes pivotal to a perfect startup with needs-driven researches, they are also critical for the success of the project going forward, according to Ms Masisi.
Her initiative to engage the institutes in question was informed by challenges as outlined by the group when she first visited December last year.
Amongst other things the women said they lacked technical know-how of making mowana plain yogurt and ensuring its safety for consumption, value chain development and packaging, transportation and a place of operation.
Pleased by women of all age categories who turned up in droves, Ms Masisi said the numbers demonstrated the women’s commitments towards growth and success of their project.
“It is a difficult and sometimes a lonely journey, but with requisite support, you can succeed in the end,” said Ms Masisi, who also informed the women that the expertise she brought would inter alia help effect mindset change and propagate positivity towards the future.
For a project that started about five years ago albeit on a small scale and fear, mowana project would produce one of the products, which when finally cleared and certified fit for human consumption, could be distributed at local schools with support from Bobirwa District Council, the chairperson, Mr Kgomotso Mmereki said.
He pledged support for the project, saying it was one of those that tapped on available natural resources in the district to uplift the lives of members and indeed the community at large.
“Because as a district we support procurement of local products especially for consumption at government institutions, I cannot see why we wouldn’t procure the yogurt for pupils if it has gone through rigorous health processes,” said Mr Mmereki. While tapping from resources in their area, the women’s project has been operating in the backyard, taking small orders while fearing they could be jeopardising health and lives. However, now that they have received expertise assistance, project drivers yearn for a brighter future.
The brighter future would entail having transportation into the bush during harvests, protective clothing, scientific research, information and training on production of products that meet high standards of health.
“We are here to help with needs-driven research, to help you in your quest for ensuring food security, which I think you are already on track towards achieving,” said NARDI representative, Dr Minah Mosele.
Dr Mosele said that the women’s group was also a driver of mindset change since it did not ‘wallow in despair,’ but fostered avenues of bettering their lives.
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