Breaking barriers in Mshewe: How Zinduka Women are Transforming Agriculture and Empowering Communities

Oct 22, 2024 | Maria Monayo
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In the sleepy village of Mshewe in Tanzania’s Mbeya District, a group of women is quietly revolutionizing their community through a powerful blend of agricultural entrepreneurship and social transformation. Since its inception in 2010, the Zinduka Women group has grown from a collective of women survivors of gender-based violence to an inspiring force for change that is uplifting families and challenging societal norms. 

Empowerment through economic independence is at the heart of their mission, and their name “Zinduka”— a Swahili word meaning “to wake up, come to one’s senses, or gain consciousness,”—aptly describes the group’s journey. Supported by the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) project, these women have moved beyond the shadows of their past to redefine their future. Today, they stand as role models, not only in agriculture but as champions of women’s empowerment.