The business and technical skills trainings offered by Hand in Hand Zimbabwe greatly aided Thuthukani Self Help Group from Siyamagoza village in Lupane district to navigate through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group’s baking and juice-making enterprise survived the harsh effects of the pandemic on businesses through the support they received from Hand in Hand Zimbabwe.

Fig 1: Thuthukani SHG members, Thando Masuku and Cecilia Moyo posing with their precious products

“During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, our business was not spared.

“Life became unbearable for us as business came to a standstill.  At household level, we could hardly afford basic household necessities,” Miriam Nkomo, the group chairperson said.

The organisation revitalised the nine (9) member group through monitoring visits and linking them to business opportunities.

Fig 2: Thuthukani SHG and their clay oven before receiving MLP support

The SHG was also enrolled for the Market Linkages Project (MLP).

Thereafter, the group received more refresher business training, baking training, juice making, food handling, value addition (packaging and branding) training, and mentoring and coaching sessions. They were also linked to markets through min

The business and technical skills trainings offered by Hand in Hand Zimbabwe greatly aided Thuthukani Self Help Group from Siyamagoza village in Lupane district to navigate through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group’s baking and juice making enterprise survived the harsh effects of the pandemic on businesses through the support they received from Hand in Hand Zimbabwe.

“During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, our business was not spared.

“Life became unbearable for us as business came to a standstill.  At household level, we could hardly afford basic household necessities,” Miriam Nkomo, the group chairperson said.

The organisation revitalised the nine (9) member group through monitoring visits and linking them to business opportunities.

Fig 3: Thuthukani SHG and their clay oven before receiving MLP support

The SHG was also enrolled for the Market Linkages Project (MLP).

Thereafter, the group received more refresher business training, baking training, juice making, food handling, value addition (packaging and branding) training, and mentoring and coaching sessions. They were also linked to markets through mini market fairs and business indabas.

In November 2020, as part of the MLP project’s strategy to increase production, quality and market participation, the group underwent an enterprise competition with two other groups.

Thuthukani SHG clinched the 3^rd price and received a seed grant for inputs worth USD$1500.

The group opted to buy building material for the construction of a baking shade, installation of a steel-oven substituting their obsolete clay-made oven, bicycle for marketing products, as well as supplies of working capital in the form of baking and juice making ingredients.

Thuthukani have since improved on product quality, quantity and market share.

Today the group continues to supply their local community and has extended its market to schools and stores.

Their well branded and packaged products are on demand and monthly sales have shot up.

i market fairs and business indabas.

In November 2020, as part of the MLP project’s strategy to increase production, quality and market participation, the group underwent an enterprise competition with two other groups.

Thuthukani SHG clinched the 3^rd price and received a seed grant for inputs worth USD$1500.

The group opted to buy building material for the construction of a baking shade, installation of a steel-oven substituting their obsolete clay-made oven, bicycle for marketing products, as well as supplies of working capital in the form of baking and juice making ingredients.

Thuthukani have since improved on product quality, quantity and market share.

Today the group continues to supply their local community and has extended its market to schools and stores.

Their well branded and packaged products are on demand and monthly sales have shot up.