Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association from ward 17 took time to clean their areas of work in Pumula, following the Bulawayo spring cleaning campaign initiated by Bulawayo City Council. We thank our members who understood the importance of the spring clean up campaign and are utilizing skills they attained in waste management trainings. We are proud of you ward 17.
BVTA members take part in the spring cleaning Read More »
Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) women attended a success talk hosted by Nomalanga Ncube, which aimed at equipping women with networking skills for business success.
A success talk with Noma Read More »
Plan International is excited to launch the Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC) for Bulawayo Program Area. Young people who fit the criteria on the flyer are invited to submit their innovative ideas💡. The submission modalities are as per the attached YIC Flyer. In addition submissions can also be made via the link below. Submission Format for whatsapp/email/hard copy is specified below: Contact DetailsIntroduction (if submitting through whatsapp-to be written as a text message before sending audio/video)📍Full name(s)📍Age of each member📍Team name📍Location📍Contact details 💡Pitch- Audio/video (3mins max) Written (2 pages max) 😞The Problem/Challenge- Describe the problem/challenge you wish to address😀The Solution- Describe the solution you are proposing to address the problem/challenge. Highlight the innovation part of the solution (for e.g what makes it different/unique/inventive/disruptive/cutting-edge, etc)📈The Impact- Describe the potential reach and effect of your solution.
Youth innovation launch challenge Read More »
Bathi omama zimbokodo bayaziphandela! Sebekwenzile njalo, bebethe gwaqa namuhla besenza uhlelo lokuthuthukisa izindlu zabo zokudlela. Bekuthengwe izinto ezitshiyeneyo ezigoqela amagedlela lamankomitsho, okuyikho okuphiwe omama. Umongameli wenhlanganiso yeBulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) uJacqueline Ndlovu uthe kuqakathekile ukuthuthukisana njengabomama njalo kuhle ukuba lemikulu ehlanzekileyo. “Kuhle ukuhlanganyela ndawonye labanye omama, kuyakhulula ingqondo njalo kuyakwenza ubethwe ngumoya ungahlali ucabanga indubo izikhathi zonke,” kusitsho uPreety Mpofu olilunga leMbokodo njalo ephethe isikhundla sokukhokhela indaba zabomama ku Executive Committe yeBVTA. Konke lokho bakwenzela ukuthuthukisa imuli kanye lamabhizimusi abo.
Imbokodo ziyathuthukisana Read More »
Today some women bought winter blankets following the fundraising techniques that are being implemented by the Imbokodo women revolving fund. Since the revolving fund started in February, women have been contributing money for purchasing blankets for the winter season. Each woman has been contributing US $3 after every fort night and some have managed to buy blankets which cost US $25 each. The revolving fund convenes after every fortnight and every woman who is a member of BVTA is eligible to join.
Imbokodo women secure winter blankets Read More »
Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) applauds the Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) effort in approving the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the council and Informal Economy Associations in Bulawayo. This partnership aims at improving the working conditions of informal workers and traders in Bulawayo. Efforts of coming up a MoU started in 2021 after a series of consultation meetings with informal economy associations namely, BVTA, BCC, Bulawayo Upcoming Traders Association (BUTA), Simunye Informal Traders, Highlanders Informal traders Association, Renkini Island (Malaleni), Bulawayo City of Kings Vendors Association (BCVA), Street Wise Informal Traders Association (SWITA),Site 5 informal traders and Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association (ZCIEA), all under the umbrella of Bulawayo Informal Sector Working Group. The working group came up with clauses for both BCC and informal economy associations that will be undertaken and fulfilled by both parties. “The need for having an MoU was realised during an Informal traders Indaba meeting held at City Hall in June 2021, where informal economy associations felt the need for having MoUs of which the request was then sent to council and was approved or adopted in the council that sat on the 4th of August 2021, said Bulawayo Town Planner Shelton in a meeting. “The local authority then consulted associations that are registered in Bulawayo that the local authority works with and these include BVTA, BUTA, Simunye, ZCIEA among others, added Sithole”. “Quite a number of consultation meetings were done, with members of associations being given time to draft their own MoU document. The local authority through its own informal traders sub-committee also had its draft MoU. These documents were then combined and shared amongst the working group. A meeting was then held at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel to agree on the combined draft document, which was shared with the council and all constituencies of the informal economy associations in Bulawayo. They were given a month to deliberate on the document and the final draft was shared with the council and it was approved in December 2021, Sithole continued. “MoUs are very critical for quite a number of issues. It is one document that will foster the transition of informality to formality as it is part of the Recommendations of ILO,” said Sithole. “The MOU between BCC and the Informal Economy Associations is an agreement in which both parties undertake to foster cooperation on various fronts,” BVTA President Aleck Ndlovu told The Vendors Voice that the associations are committed to ensuring that their members are regulated in terms of business operations i.e., compliance with by-laws such as trading from legally designated sites, licensing, attending to security matters as well as practicing environmentally friendly activities, alluded Ndlovu.” “On the other hand, BCC is committed to providing decent workspaces with access to clean water and ablution facilities. There will also be periodic meetings to review or share important notes on challenges prevailing in the sector if any. We hope to work well with BCC and produce credible results in enhancing the sector in Bulawayo, added Ndlovu.” “We are awaiting the official ceremony of the signing of the MoU which will be advised soon,” said Sithole.
BVTA Women Council today held a high-level fundraising tea party aimed at encouraging business growth and self-appreciation. The high-level tea comes after the commemoration of the Women’s Day, as a way of celebrating women informal traders’ successes. The group of women meets under the organisational Women’s Council, which serves as a custodian of the interests of women and gender issues in the organization. The women come together to discuss aspirations about their businesses as well as their personal lives outside their area of work. “Most women were affected mentally and financially by COVID-19, therefore these meetings serve as therapy,” said Debrah Mukasa. “Women were well dressed for the high-level fundraising tea, this depicts that women must have time for themselves, dress up their bodies, put on fancy clothes, look nice and take some time away from businesses for therapy and mental well-being,” BVTA President Jacqueline Ndlovu told the Vendors Voice. Fines were charged to those who came late, as a way of fundraising. Utensils and materials will be purchased for every woman in the group through the fundraising. During the high-level tea, women were encouraged to take good care of themselves and their families. It was also a space for women to appreciate each other. The Women Council started convening in February this year and aims at pursuing different projects which include groceries club, revolving fund and blankets club. The revolving fund is currently ongoing, whereby women are in small groups of at least 5 people, committing to R100 after every fort night and give it to one member of the group until the round finishes and starts over. “I encourage other women informal traders to join associations so that they can have such opportunities that we are creating and enjoying here in our organisation,” said Ndlovu.
BVTA Women Council celebrates life Read More »
BULAWAYO-Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) youths are lobbying the Bulawayo city council to adopt a comprehensive youth policy. The youths presented their ‘Bulawayo Model Youth Policy’ to the BCC for the latter’s consideration at a recent meeting at the Revenue Hall. BVTA’s Assistant Programs Manager, Mthandazo Bhebhe emphasized the importance of including youths in development processes. “Enabling the participation of young people is key and allows them to make claims and hold government to account. Upon realising that council had no such policies, we came up with our own model that we we want the council to consider. The policy seeks to prioritize youths. It seeks to ensure that young people effectively contribute to the development of the city and country,” he said. Deputy Mayor Mlandu Ncube acknowledged that not much has been done for the youths as a result of a dearth of youth representatives in the council in past years. “For years this city has neglected the youth. In 2008, the youngest councillor was 59 but in 2013 we tried to ensure more young people come in and currently we have around 9 young people in local authorities. We hope to have more in the coming years.The only youth policy that we have only talks about the need for youth centres. It does not talk about youths being involved in the leadership of the city or the economics of the city. I hope this proposal has incorporated all the things which are not in the old policy. We appreciate the move by BVTA and I promise that we will look into this policy as a matter of urgency,” Ncube said. The model youth policy is a product of recommendations made at an informal traders’ policy meeting held under the Strengthening The Livelihoods and Resilience of Urban Youths (STELLAR) project.
BVTA Youths lobby for inclusive policy Read More »
EkhayaVote2023 in partnership with Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) is conducting a series of dialogue meetings from 16 to 21 January, 2022, on the nexus between service delivery and electoral processes in preparation for the upcoming by-elections. Two meetings have been conducted so far in Mzilikazi and in Pumula North. The upcoming meetings will be held in Nkulumane and Magwegwe.
Community Engagement meetings Read More »
