Ntombizodwa Dladla, a proud member of the Sibonokuhle Group in Bambanani Village of Ward 2, Lupane District, boasts of owning a peanut butter making machine purchased using money borrowed from her Village Savings and Lending group (VS&L).
Beaming with pride, it is visible that this is a life-changing venture for her as a productive woman in society and her family.
During an interview at the Amalima Day celebrations held in Lupane District in November 2023, she said her humble beginnings involved harvesting groundnuts in excess during good seasons and paying for grinding services in Lupane centre so that she could sell the peanut butter in town.
“Because of the Amalima Loko program, I joined the Sibonokuhle VS&L Club in January 2023, where we would practice Qogelela (saving and investing) and in June I was able to borrow $500.00 from the group in a bid to buy my own peanut butter making machine as an investment”, said Ntombizodwa.
The machine has been welcomed by the community as it saves them on transport costs, time and it belongs to one of their own.
Purchasing the grinding machine has not only opened business opportunities for Ntombizodwa, who can now grind her groundnuts and sell the peanut butter, but has also earned her respect amongst her peers as a prosperous business owner.
VS&L groups provide an alternative to formal banks and empower communities to invest in themselves, especially for people living in rural areas and their main objective being to save and lend money to group members so that they can start their own businesses, and return the money with an interest.
In ORAP’s Philosophy of the 7Zs and a Q, the Q stands for Qogelela which means save and invest, which is the foundation of VS&L and the most important in the philosophy when it comes to VS&L as it ensures continuity.
The Qogelela groups has empowered the rural communities, especially women to not look up to men but to start their own businesses.
“I have made 100% profit which means that I have managed to repay the loan with its interest and am now enjoying the profits, so that to me is important and would urge other women not to be afraid to borrow in order to start their own businesses. Looking up to men for upkeep is a thing of the past”, said Ntombizodwa.
In an interview with ORAP, Ntombizodwa said that the concept of Qogelela has been a major stepping stone in advancing her living standard.
She added that with the money that she is getting from selling peanut butter, her next plan is to purchase a sunflower oil extracting machine.
Amalima Loko is a five-year USAID-funded Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance program that seeks to enhance food security in Matabeleland North of Zimbabwe through steadily increased food access through sustainable watershed management, being implemented by CNFA in a consortium with ORAP, IMC, Dabane Trust, Mercy Corps, and the Manoff Group.
Amalima Loko is a five-year USAID-funded Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance program that seeks to enhance food security in Matabeleland North of Zimbabwe through steadily increased food access through sustainable watershed management, being implemented by CNFA in a consortium with ORAP, IMC, Dabane Trust, Mercy Corps, and the Manoff Group.