The feminisation of poverty: A study of Ndau women of Muchadziya village in Chimanimani Zimbabwe

Poverty statistics in many countries of the developing world, with Zimbabwe being no exception, continue to show a gender-skewed trend, with women more than men increasingly being more affected. This is worrying, considering the fact that it is women who are the majority, and they carry the brunt of the burden for most household duties. Zimbabwe adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and yet women continue to be hit hard by poverty. This was a qualitative study involving interviews and focus group discussions with 58 purposively sampled participants from Muchadziya village to determine the extent to which women in Muchadziya village are contributing towards sustainable development in Zimbabwe. The aim of this article, was to explore the ways in which women in Muchadziya village are contributing towards the alleviation of poverty. In the process, they will be contributing towards the attainment of some of the SDGs, such as the ones focusing on ending poverty in all its forms everywhere (SDG 1) and ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture (SDG 2). Using Africana womanism theoretical framework, the article maintained that African women should be perceived as agents, not subjects, of development and transformation in their communities. Findings indicated that women in Muchadziya village are selling various products and have sought markets in Beitbridge, Gweru and Zvishavane to sell them; others have set up shops and flea markets, and others make use of the land even though they do not own it to produce farm products to fight against poverty. The study concluded that women, despite being in difficult circumstances, are capable of contributing towards the achievement of the SDGs, particularly SDG 5 focusing on women’s empowerment and attaining gender equality. It is therefore recommended that women be given the necessary support to achieve more. Contribution: In a context where women are the most affected by poverty, Ndau women have proven that they can be agents of change by contributing towards the achievement of SDGs such as ending poverty in all its forms, zero hunger, education, gender equality and women’s empowerment and water and sanitation. Not much scholarly attention has been paid to the agency of women in Chimanimani in enhancing Zimbabwe’s sustainable development. This gap in literature might be influenced by the fact that African women, particularly women in rural areas, are perceived as beneficiaries or recipients of aid or development initiatives. As such, most programmes mainstreamed by aid or donor agencies in Africa have a specific focus on distributing aid to women and girl-children. Unfortunately, such programmes rarely seek to capacitate or empower their beneficiaries; hence, their interventions eventually disempower the intended beneficiaries

Women in Pentecostal churches and mental wellbeing during the COVID- 19 pandemic: The case of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe

Pentecostalism, to which the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe belongs, is one of the fastest growing brands of Christianity in Zimbabwe. Most Pentecostal churches promise divine health, deliverance, miracles and prosperity to their members. In the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe, women constitute the greater percentage of the church membership. Despite the fact that Pentecostal churches make promises of a good life, a church is generally expected to be a safe haven to its members. This paper wished to examine whether the Pentecostal church response to COVID-19 helped to build or destroy the mental health of its majority members, the women. The findings however show that the church mostly affected women’s mental health in a negative way as it grappled with the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article therefore contests the claim of providing a good life as done by some Pentecostal churches. This was a qualitative study and utilized findings from a sample of 15 members of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe who were selected using purposive sampling. The findings suggest that the women were stressed by the teachings on marriage and emphasis on collection of money, discrimination against single women, the prosperity gospel, and patriarchy

Chemical composition of Lablab purpureus and Vigna unguiculata and their subsequent effects on methane production in Xhosa lop-eared goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value and anti-nutrient contents of Lablab purpureus (Lablab) and Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) and their effects on methane production in goats. Legume forages were grown and harvested at three stages of growth of pre-anthesis, anthesis, and post anthesis. Samples were collected at each stage and examined for proximate composition, total phenolics, condensed tannins, and saponins using standard methods. Hay was harvested at the anthesis stage and used in a growth study to evaluate the effects of forage legumes on methane production. Eighteen one-year-old goats, nine males and nine females, were used in the feeding trial. The goats were subjected to three treatment diets with six goats in each treatment, representing both sexes equally, for 60 days in a complete randomized design. Methane was measured with a laser methane detector (LMD). Cowpea showed higher ash (13.11%), acid detergent fibre (ADF) (38.42%), and crude protein (CP) (20.23%) than Lablab, which had values of 11.45 %, 36.17%, and 19%, for ash, ADF, and CP, respectively. Lablab had significantly higher fat content (2.41%), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (49.27%), and hemicellulose (13.07%) than cowpea (2.1%, 46.91%, and 8.48%, respectively). The tannin, phenolic, and saponin content were influenced significantly by forage species and stage of growth. The diet and sex of the animal affected enteric methane production significantly. Forage legumes met animal requirements for fat, ADF, NDF, and CP. The energy and tannin levels of forage legumes were shown to reduce enteric methane production in goats.Keywords: Forage legumes, nutritive value, small ruminant

The place of women in the leadership of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFMZ)

Doctoral Degree.University of KwaZulu-Natal,Pietermaritzburg.This study focusses on exposing the sources of the marginalization of women in the leadership of the AFMZ church. This study argues that women in the AFMZ have been marginalized in the church’s leadership which is evidenced by the ceremonial titles women have and yet they do not sit in decision making boards of the AFMZ. The marginalization is also evidenced by the fact that female pastors have never occupied the position of Overseer and President. Therefore, this study endorses mutuality and partnership between men and women in the leadership of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe. The research design was qualitative in which case data was collected through interviews and focus discussions, from sixty participants who were purposefully selected. The major finding of this study is that women are being marginalized in the leadership of the AFMZ due to a number of reasons such as, Few Female voters, The nomination process, Interpretation of the bible, Culture and Patriarchy, Tradition, AFMZ’s teaching on Marriage, The Holy Spirit has not given the directive and doubting the call of a woman among other things. Hence using the African feminist theology and the Feminist ecclesiology as theoretical frameworks, the ultimate goal is to advocate for an inclusive leadership model of leadership which uphold men and women working together in the leadership of the AFMZ. The study proposed an inclusive model of leadership in which it was suggested that teaching of liberation theology in the home, empowerment of women through education, solidarity, inclusion of gender studies at the AFMZ Theological seminary, learning from other circles and leadership renewal will facilitate the achievement of this model. However, it was acknowledged that the achievement of such a model may take time but hope for change is certain

Feed intake, growth performance and carcass traits of broilers fed diets with various inclusion levels of baobab seed oilcake

The effects of increasing dietary inclusion levels of baobab seed oilcake (BSOC) on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and yield in Ross 308 broiler chicks were assessed. Dietary treatments (T) consisted of four levels of BSOC: T1, control (0% BSOC); T2, 5% BSOC; T3, 10% BSOC; and T4, 15% BSOC. Birds on T2 and T1 had the highest bodyweight (BW) on days 14 and 28, respectively. Feed intake (FI) was highest during the periods of 1 to 7 days and 15 to 21 days in T2 birds. From 15 to 21 days, Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was highest in T3 birds. Significant differences were noted in slaughter and carcass weights among the treatments. Although no significant differences were observed in dressing percentages among treatments, birds in T1 had a higher dressing percentage, followed by those on T2. There were no statistical differences in carcass yield among the treatments. Calculations for revenue and gross margin showed that feed costs were lower in T4 and higher in T2 in the starter phase. In in the grower phase, feed costs were lower in T4 and higher in T3. The gross margin was higher in T1 and lower in T2 in the starter phase. During the grower phase it was higher in T1 and lower in T4. It was concluded that the inclusion of 5% BSOC at most could improve growth performance. Additionally, increasing levels of BSOC reduced feed costs, with a reduction in the gross margin in the grower stage of broilers.Keywords: Baobab, broiler performance, carcass yield, protein utilization efficiency, revenu