Last week, one of our young women, Zinhle Ndlovu, the Monitoring and Evaluation Intern, attended the Youth Inclusive Budget Consultative Conference and contributed to the different sections. Zinhle highlighted that the budget should allocate funds for building Vocational Training centres in Tsholotsho to address youth idleness, which often leads to drug abuse and early pregnancies. Additionally, youth empowerment involves ensuring access to information so young people can make informed decisions. In Tsholotsho, young women lack access to information due to network challenges, limiting their participation and opportunities. The budget should improve network access through collaborations with network service providers to install boosters.
She mentioned that the current condition of the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road is unacceptable, a situation which has led to a 30-minute journey taking 3 hours due to potholes and poor maintenance. This hampers travel, increases vehicle wear and tear, and affects public transport availability. The 2025 budget should allocate funds to develop the Tsholotsho-Bulawayo Road. Similarly, the streets in Bulawayo, Lupane, Victoria Falls, and Nkayi are dangerous and contribute to accidents. Considering Victoria Falls’ status as a tourist attraction, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development should take action.
Further, she mentioned that due to a shortage of schools in Tsholotsho, many children travel long distances to attend school, exposing them to dangers such as bullying, sexual abuse, and assaults. This often leads to high dropout rates and less study time. Every ward should have accessible schools to ensure children receive education without traveling long distances.
Also, Zinhle highlighted a need for more water in Tsholotsho, affecting young women who bear the burden of unpaid care work, including fetching water, which is essential for their livelihoods and farming activities. She stated that the budget should allocate funds for drilling more boreholes. Additionally, the lack of water discourages teachers from working in rural areas, leading to students missing out on education as teachers sometimes take time off work to fetch water.
#HerVoice
