Zithuthukise Self Help Group is pulling itself out of poverty through the establishment of a lucrative goat rearing project.

The group, located in Ward 13 Gwanda District’s Garanyemba village is the first beneficiary of the Hand in Hand Zimbabwe Community Upliftment Project (CUP) in the area.

After seeing an increasing demand for goat meat, eight members – six women and two men – formed the group in March 2019 and pulled resources together which they used to buy 10 goats in November. The members said they decided on goat farming because goats are easy to keep and are very profitable as the feed costs are low due to the fact that they eat a variety of foods.

To date, Zithuthukise SHG has 24 goats on its books and is planning to sell them to the local community and local stores once ready for the market and share the profits in December.

The group is also into internal savings and lendings (ISALS) where they lend each other R100 rand at a 10 percent interest and this has boosted their livelihoods and individual enterprises as they can borrow and use the money to grow their individual businesses.

The group members are grateful for trainings they received from HiH Zim and currently have total savings of R3 670, while at least R5 000 has been borrowed by group members.

As a way of broadening their income streams, Zithuthukise is also working on a fodder garden that has been availed by HiH Zim to make it easy to feed their goats.

Samukeliso Sibanda, 35, a member of the garden, says the group has learnt a lot from the HiH Zim business trainings.

“Apart from our collective flourishing goat enterprise, I have done pretty well in my individual enterprise as well. I can now take care of my two children and pay their school fees on time,” she said.