A UN bigwig just gave a nod to some women's business projects here. Adama Moussa, a deputy director with UN Women, checked out the Bulawayo SME Maker Space Centre and praised the government's clear commitment to women's economic programs. He stated the country already knows its path, with his organization's role being just to support those existing plans.
Moussa called investing in women's skills a smart economic move, not a cost. He argued that empowered women support households and boost broader economies. The tour included officials like Deputy Minister Kiven Mutimbanyoka, who said the visit highlighted strong UN partnerships and effective support for women-led businesses.
One business owner, Vaida Muleya, said operating from the center for several years has helped her schoolwear enterprise grow due to lower costs. She did raise issues about competing with informal street vendors who avoid overheads. The Maker Space Centre, originally set up by the International Labour Organisation, hosts mostly women-led textile businesses.
The facility serves as a model for formalizing informal work, with over eighty percent of its eighty workspaces occupied by women. Officials view it as a replicable example for other areas, focusing on organization and increased productivity for small enterprises.
Moussa called investing in women's skills a smart economic move, not a cost. He argued that empowered women support households and boost broader economies. The tour included officials like Deputy Minister Kiven Mutimbanyoka, who said the visit highlighted strong UN partnerships and effective support for women-led businesses.
One business owner, Vaida Muleya, said operating from the center for several years has helped her schoolwear enterprise grow due to lower costs. She did raise issues about competing with informal street vendors who avoid overheads. The Maker Space Centre, originally set up by the International Labour Organisation, hosts mostly women-led textile businesses.
The facility serves as a model for formalizing informal work, with over eighty percent of its eighty workspaces occupied by women. Officials view it as a replicable example for other areas, focusing on organization and increased productivity for small enterprises.
