Zimbabwean Minister Visits NACHU, Continued Support of Cooperative Movement
On Wednesday September 14th 2011, NACHU hosted the Zimbabwean Minister of Small and Medium Business and Cooperatives, Ms. Sithembiso Nyoni, for a meeting to discuss the growth of the cooperative sector within their countries. Both parties demonstrated enthusiasm for learning from each other to enhance their role in the cooperative movement.
With growing populations and increasing urbanization, many African countries have suffered from a shortage of housing. In Kenya, this is a result of complicated legal structures, limited government resources and a lack of access to financial services for the poorest groups. A solution to this problem is the cooperative framework which has facilitated access to finances, land and homes for thousands of people in both Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has become the most propertied country in Africa with a majority of its residents owning their own homes. Minister Nyoni explained that with the support and guidance of local authorities, Zimbabwean cooperatives have been able to buy land and homes, particularly with ‘Rent to Buy’ policies. These effective policies allowed housing cooperatives to become the largest sector in the country. However, it was the controversial 2003 land reform policy that freed up land for distribution and subsequently resulted in a loss of donor support and the emergence of economic sanctions from Western countries. Without international aid, Zimbabwe’s economy weakened and cooperatives have become a vital means to provide services, housing, and finances.
During the meeting, Minister Nyoni inquired about how the Kenyan government and organizations like NACHU finance small businesses and provide education and training to support the cooperative movement. Kenyan cooperatives have stimulated growth and stability as groups have been able to create their own income generation activities, even during a period of high unemployment. The Minister wanted to meet with NACHU in order to learn more about the organization’s wide range of programs. Not only does NACHU assist groups in accessing affordable finance options, its training and technical services are shaped to target the specific needs of member societies. Workshops on governance, gender equality and living with HIV/AIDS have allowed cooperative groups to develop strong leadership within the group and in their communities. Furthermore, assistance and guidance from NACHU’s technical team have led to affordable and sustainable building technologies that maintain the integrity of the environment.
The meeting concluded with plans for further cooperation between Kenya and Zimbabwe along with a commitment to continued support for the burgeoning cooperative movement in Africa. Understanding that there is much the groups can learn from each other’s successes, the NACHU team and Zimbabwe delegation left with optimism and new ideas to implement in the housing sector.
