Life will never be the same again for vendors in Hwange who were privileged to undergo a Social Accountability and Advocacy Training conducted by Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) in their home town. The training was held at the elite Thomas Coulter Primary School.
Speaking to The Vendors Voice, one of the vendors who attended the epoch making training, Mr Elton Mguni, expressed profuse gratitude to BVTA for facilitating the much needed training which was an eye opener and is now yielding positive results.
“The workshop proved invaluable to us because we were able to meet and learn from other knowledgeable vendors. It was a first, we had never attended a workshop in these parts. Our eyes and insights were opened as far as knowing our rights as traders is concerned,” said an excited Nguni.
Mguni went on to chronicle lessons learnt from the training which included being independent, being able to represent other vendors as well as effectively using social media to advertise and sell wares.
“We learnt to be independent and stand for our trade in the face of adversity. We were also awakened to the reality of our importance in the community.
During the training it also dawned on us that the license fees that we pay must serve us and that we must see to it that they do. As a result we were able to talk to our client, the Hwange Colliery Company to whom we pay rentals and they obliged by providing lighting at the trading premises. The company also agreed in principle to put up toilets and also install water pipes and tapes so we can have access to water,” said Mguni
Thanks to the training, vendors are now able to advertise using social media platforms.
“The training workshop helped us to realize the potential of social media in marketing our wares. We can now create awareness of what we are selling in the comfort of either our homes or trading places,” said Mguni.
Arguably, the biggest achievement to date has been the reduction of license fees by the Hwange Rural District Council after vendors took issue with the hiking of the fees to US$10. The fees were reduced to US$3 due to lobbying by the vendors.
“By the help of lessons drawn from the BVTA training we managed to engage the RDC leading to the unprecedented reduction of the fees,” said an elated Nguni.