bulawayovendors

Informal traders Demo bay

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BVTA is excited to announce the construction of a new vending demo bay that will be powered by solar energy and equipped with lights, phone chargers, and speakers. The bay will also be designed to protect vendors from all types of bad weather, including rain, wind, and heat. This is an important step in promoting cleaner energy, safer working conditions, and a more vibrant marketplace. The vending demo bay will provide a unique and enjoyable experience for both vendors and shoppers alike, and the materials used will be approved by the city council. We look forward to seeing it become a success! With this new demo bay, BVTA hopes to set a new standard for sustainable and safe vending spaces.

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Awards Press Release

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On behalf of Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) I would like to express that we are humbled and honoured to have won two awards, the Community Development NGO of the Year Award from the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO) and the Best Practice and Innovation Award for our Informal Traders Insurance Scheme by CEAA at the 13th NGO Directors’ Annual Summer Retreat held in the resort city of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our members, partners and stakeholders for their unwavering support and dedication to our mission. These awards are a huge sign for stakeholders trust in us and belief in our efforts and perhaps the indelible journey that the organization has over walked over the past 8 years. We are committed to continuing our work in impacting communities while providing transformative leadership in the informal economy. We look forward to continuing exploring prospects for collaboration with potential partners. We are once again indebted and grateful to those who voted for us to get this inspiring recognition. Yours in celebration Michael Ndiweni BVTA Executive Director

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Bright Future for Makokoba Informal traders

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A revolving fund group from ward 7 – Makokoba, consisting of 34 women is looking forward to setting up structures for Internal Savings and Lending Schemes (ISALS) that is being implemented by Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) with support from WeEffect under the Market Aggregation, Linking markets and Innovations (MALI) project. The program seeks to enhance members’ skills to increase their income through savings and investments as well as provide access to loans for investments. These women started out as a small group of 16 members contributing 5 rands weekly but as they evolved, they have doubled the number to 34 people and are now contributing a dollar each and 5 rands every week. “We are grateful for this opportunity as a group as it will enable us as vendors to enhance our skills to increase our income through savings and investments as well as provide access to affordable loans for business investments,” said ward seven chairperson Edith Ndebele. Within a short period of three months, they have managed to save up to 400 USD which they will channel towards their NBS bank account. The money will be used by the bank to track their traffic record for weighing their eligibility for the loans. Internal Savings and Lending Schemes (ISALS) are groups that allow members to save money and borrow funds from the group, often at low interest rates. These groups are typically made up of people who live in close proximity to each other, and they often have a strong sense of trust and social cohesion. The money saved in the group is then used to provide loans to members who need them, and the interest paid on those loans helps to cover administrative costs and build up the capital of the group.

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Mutize Blaze A Call To Rethink Informality Insurance

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In the wake of the tragic Mutize flea market fire that took place in Bulawayo today in the early morning hours, vendors and traders are encouraged to consider investing in Small and Medium Enterprises insurance. The recent flea market fire was a devastating blow to the vendors and traders who relied on it for their livelihoods. As we rebuild and support those affected, it is important to also consider the value of insuring wares as a vendor and an informal trader. Insurance can provide a crucial financial safety net in times of crisis. While no amount of money can erase the pain and loss, it can help alleviate some of the financial burden. “This incident should be declared a city disaster because the market had become an industry to many, and as a community let us prioritise protection and preparedness,” said Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) Executive Director Michael Ndiweni. At the stroke of midnight, chaos erupted caused by a fire break out at the Mtize flea market where the building was engulfed in flames and stock worth an estimation of USD 500 000  was destroyed, fire-fighters arrived on the scene and worked frantically at midnight to the morning trying to extinguish the raging blaze as well as salvage the stock which was to no avail as all the wares perished from the fire. “The market was our ware hub with people coming from all over to restock some from as far as Beitbridge, Gwanda and Victoria Falls to order wares from us, we are devastated,” said an informal trader who was operating at Mutize. “Schools are opening next week, I was looking forward to come and order school wear and stationery, we have lost business,” said another woman. Following the Mpopoma Outspan Factory also known as eSprampekini fire breakout that resulted to informal traders losing property worth thousands of US dollars when their goods caught fire, BVTA took the initiative to engage with Champions Insurance and create an insurance scheme that is specifically designed for vendors and informal traders which covers up to a USD 3000  hospital cash plan, USD 2200 medical aid, USD 1000 fire policy for stock and USD500 funeral cover from paying a monthly subscription fee of as little as USD5 per month. The organisation continues to advocate and urge informal traders to join the insurance scheme to cover their businesses in cases of unforeseen disasters and accidents

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BVTA Press Statement on Mtize Flea Market Inferno

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30 August, 2023 Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) learns with shock the devastating inferno that razed thousands worth of goods belonging to informal traders at Mtize Flea market in Bulawayo and our hearts are with the people who have lost their livelihoods in this unfortunate disaster. We take solace that there were no injuries or fatalities from the fire which started in the early hours of 30 August 2023, although hundreds of informal traders lost their jobs.  Young people mostly young women, who were employed as shop keepers have lost their source of income. The disaster also strikes at a time when informal traders were just recovering from the devastating impact of COVID-19 pandemic. We urge authorities to declare this incident a city disaster and urgently activate all systems to assist informal traders affected by the incident and we also invite well-wishers to come on board and assist informal traders in any form possible. We also pray that authorities will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the cause of the inferno. It is our prayer that in the future, informal traders consider to pursue insurance cover for their goods, organizations such as ours have tailored insurance packages for informal traders in partnership with insurance service providers such as Champions Insurance with packages as little as USD $5 for a fire policy for stock, medical aid, hospital cash back and funeral cover for such and many other unfortunate occurrences.  We also strongly urge property owners to prioritize regular maintenance, insure premises and the authorities to regularly inspect places of work such as markets and ensure adherence to minimum safety standards. Informal trading has become the backbone of our economy as about 70% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from the informal economy and the source of livelihood for many families. Informal cross border traders are dotted across the Southern Africa Development Countries (SADC) region either to resell or order goods or raw materials for producing goods in the country and it is a source of employment for many people, particularly women.  Issued by BVTA Information and Publicity Unit Twitter – @bvtatrust Facebook Page – Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association Facebook – Bulawayo Vendors Trust Website – www.bvtatrust.org

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BVTA Statement on assault of informal traders in Bulawayo

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18 July, 2023 Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) learns with shock the assault of informal traders that was widely reported on social media at 5th Avenue in Bulawayo. We have at many occasions on record, condemned and frowned upon the issue of space barons who are undermining all local government laws and national laws that govern the informal economy. Our conviction is that no group must put the law unto itself, it is a crime to assault those who are working hard to eke a living, and we hope law enforcements agents will rise above this matter and arrest the perpetrators of violence against informal traders, informal traders have overtime decried abuse from space barons who demand a dollar a day for protection. We also urge informal traders to be vigilant and not kow tow to these unscrupulous individuals who always promise them protection through demanding, bribes and extortionist shenanigans. Informal traders are out there to work and provide for their families not to be abused by illegal space barons hiding behind political connections. We are very sorry to the journalist who was assaulted while covering acts of violence meted on informal traders in Bulawayo Central Business District. We believe violence in any form has no place in our society, hence we will continue to advocate for safe and decent working spaces for informal traders particularly vulnerable groups like women informal traders. We call for multi stakeholder dialogues to resolve informal traders’ challenges and eliminate the risks of working in the informal economy. Issued by BVTA Information and Publicity UnitContact details: Fourth floor, Suite 406, Fidelity Life Building Fife street and 11th Avenue Email:bulawayovendors@gmail.com Facebook: Bulawayo Vendors Trust/ Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association Twitter: @bvtatrust Website: www.bvtatrust.org Phone: +263 713 635 908

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Revolving Fund Spurs Women Traders

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A new women’s Revolving Fund, spearheaded by Bulwayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) Ward Seven based members is keeping women off the couch by funding them to start up small businesses that will keep them occupied as well as provide them with income. Ward Seven Chairperson, Edith Ndebele said that their motive was to help uplift each other as women to start businesses and be self-sufficient. “Our objective was to uplift each other so we came together and contributed five rands each which amounted to R130 which we gave to one member to spin/use and then bring it back with R20 interest after a duration of one week,” Edith Ndebele said. The group members organised a set-up whereby they gather every week to each contribute five rands, and give the total amount to one group member who will then go and start a small business with it, to then come back the following week and pass on that amount with twenty per cent interest to someone else while they retain the profit. This means that the following week two people will be receiving the start-up money, one from the weekly contributions and the other from the previous beneficiary. This scheme should see an increasing number of beneficiaries every week.

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BVTA Women’s Revolving Fund Paying Off

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Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) Imbokodo Women Council Revolving Fund under the motto Okuhle siyazenzela BVTA, is yielding fruitful results following testimonies from members that have already received their pay-outs. Out of five people who received their payouts of USD$50, three members have testified that they have used the money efficiently to build their businesses and enhance their households. They have injected more capital into their businesses, bought household properties and procured more equipment for their businesses. The women expressed their gratitude and motivated their fellow members to use the money effectively to enhance their businesses and households. “I’m one of the people who received their money on the first round and Added my own savings on top and then bought myself a big box of pots with various kitchen utensils included”, said Jane Ndebele. “I bought an electric balloon pump, manual pump, white mat arc, balloons and Bobo balloons after acquiring the skill to do Balloon gallant, Lizzie Ngwenya told the Vendors Voice The BVTA Women’s Club has been running since last year February, and it consists of sixty members that are segmented into ten groups with five people each. The monthly contributions towards the Revolving Fund is USD$50 to one person from each group every fortnight.

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