Mombe YaAmai Project
In Zimbabwe, Mombe YaAmai (Mother’s Cow) is a ceremonial marriage tradition in which the groom gifts his mother-in-law a cow, to thank her for raising a daughter. In a context where women have limited income, influence and independence, Mombe YaAmai represents a remarkable opportunity for income generation if its potential can be successfully unlocked. Unfortunately, many poor women currently lack the skills and support to make the most of this opportunity. With the help of ITL supporters we aim to address this, supporting women and youth to engage more meaningfully in commercial dairy and livestock markets to drive improvements in household income and in household nutrition.
Phase one of the project helped develop an in-depth understanding of this opportunity, gaining the buy-in of key stakeholders. We took a group of agriculture extension workers and potential project participants on a learning visit to see how cattle farming can be done on a commercial scale, to explore options for cattle breeds suitable to Mudzi area/climate, and how to run a community owned commercial enterprise.
As you can see by the video below, taken on a mobile phone shortly after this visit, the enthusiasm that has been generated by this early-stage activity is palpable and stands us in good stead as we move forward into phase 2 of the project. Those who went on the learning visit came away not only excited about the project plans, but already equipped with some basic dairy farming knowledge they were keen to try out on cattle they already own.
