Shot in the arm for Gwanda informal traders
Gwanda informal traders claim to have received a big boost in Social Accountability and Advocacy knowledge during a training workshop conducted by Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) at Jahunda Primary School in the town. The Vendors Voice spoke to one of the vendors who benefited from the training, Mr Tashinga Gorejena who was full of praise for the training program. “The informal traders network was a wonderful opportunity for us as BVTA took time to selflessly conscientize us about our rights. We found out that as vendors, we have more rights than we thought.” Mr Gorejena took the liberty to give The Vendors Voice a brief run-down of the workshop. He added that the vendors used the workshop to form a properly constituted committee which was tasked to initiate the registration of Jahunda Vendors and Traders Association. “BVTA conscientized us about our rights. The training started off with scenario mapping, where we discussed our challenges and possible solutions. It was on that very day that we formed a committee because we did not have one before then. We also learnt that we can collectively bargain with stakeholders such as the Gwanda Municipality and the government through its various arms and agencies,” said Gorejena. Gorejena said, while the Jahunda Vendors and Traders Association is still in its infancy and experiencing teething problems, the future looks bright mainly due to the help that it is getting from BVTA. “We have been granted access to the BVTA constitution and so we are using it as a resource tool in improving our own constitution for proper registration,” he said. Thanks to the advocacy knowledge gained from the training, the Gwanda informal traders managed to meet the Gwanda municipality to register their concerns. “We learnt that through advocacy we can bring the Council and or other stakeholders to account and be heard,” said Gorejena.
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