[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Member’s Stories” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”7929″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Doreen Selimani ” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:600%20bold%20regular%3A600%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Doreen Selimani (35) is one of our members whom BVTA supported after some unscrupulous Bulawayo Municipal Police officers laid trumped up charges against her in an attempt to cover up for the broken arm injury inflicted upon her 15 year old daughter during a scuffle to seize her goods in their routine raids.
“A municipal police officer twisted my daughter’s arm after she refused to let go of the goods during municipal’s regular raids, “said Selimani. “During the incident my daughter suffered an arm injury.”
Selimani wanted justice to be done but she did not have a money to hire a lawyer. The municipal police officers were counter accusing her of assaulting of one of them hence they dragged her to court.
BVTA engaged Abammeli Human Rights Lawyers who offered free legal services until she was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
“The officer was sentenced to 210 hours of community services. I’m grateful to BVTA for their support until the end,” she said.
“I was always timid and unsettled when selling my wares. The municipal police would pounce anytime and we would carry our goods and run. It was not easy. At times I would bribe them,” she explained.
Doreen is now a full member of BVTA and possesses a vending license.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][rd_line color=”#878787″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”7928″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”From a vendor to an award winning business woman” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Open%20Sans%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C600%2C600italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C800%2C800italic|font_style:600%20bold%20regular%3A600%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Lillian Musipani (34), chairperson of Ward 26 Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) Executive Committee and Award winning detergent producer shares her story of how BVTA capacity building trainings turned her fortunes. Musipani is a recipient of the BVTA’s Institutional Strengthening Project that equipped 600 vendors and informal traders with requisite knowledge on their rights and responsibilities.
“When l joined the BVTA team, I learnt about the importance of possessing a vending license and that vendors have rights to voice their needs and challenges,” she said. “
“I used to think that obtaining a vending license was a waste of money which could be used for acquiring more resources for my business. However, BVTA taught me that having a license can actually cultivate my business.”
Musipani explained how grateful she is for the knowledge and skills she acquired through BVTA trainings.
She added, “Before my encounter with BVTA, I used to sell tomatoes and vegetables but now I am producing detergents. I did not have a designated place to sell my merchandise.”
Musipani recently won an award at the Inter- Provincial Competition for emerging producers in Zimbabwe.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]