Stephen Ephraem : Post Correspodent
THE Great Limpopo Cultural Trade Fair empowers Southern Africa women. This was said by Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Masvingo Province minister Shuvai Mahofa who was guest of honour at the official opening of the regional cultural trade fair at Boli Mhlanguleni show grounds in Chiredzi South last Saturday.Minister Mahofa who arrived at the trade fair in a donkey-drawn cart to celebrate cultural transport was flanked by Senator for Beitbridge Honorable Tambudzani Mohadi and deputy minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services and Secretary of Gender and Culture in the Politburo Honourable Senator Thokozile Mathuthu among other government officials.
In her speech, the guest of honour said: “There is no greater empowerment than expressing yourself in your culture and women being custodians of culture.
This fair has seen communities, largely women, benefiting from the deliberate programming that includes exhibition of cultural products and indigenous knowledge systems, market connection workshops that build their business capacity and traditional fireplace discussions that focused on conservation of natural resources and adaptation to climate change effects.”
Minister Mahofa thanked stakeholders who helped the organisers of the event Centre for Cultural Development Initiatives (Gaza Trust) by funding the fair.
These included The Malilangwe Trust, Chiredzi Rural District Council, Tongaat Hulett, Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge and Frankfurt Zoological Society.
The trade fair director Mr Hebert Pikela expressed satisfaction on how local and regional exhibitors participated in this year’s edition of the fair. He went further to encourage more businesses to showcase in the forthcoming editions.
The cultural trade fair which drew delegates and exhibitors from neighbouring countries like Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland was attended by about 4 000 people and has become an annual event under the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority calendar.