The United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Chiwema Congregation in Mumbwa has received K10,000 cash donation from the Presidential Initiative Empowerment Fund (PIEF) to be distributed to women entrepreneurs within the Church.
Presenting the money during the church service on Sunday, PIEF patron Chanda Kabwe also urged the church leadership to collaborate with the district commissioner’s office.
Mr Kabwe said the church should work together with the DC’s office and get quotations for windows, cement and benches to enable them complete the church building and furnish the House of God on the account of the PIEF.
Mr Kabwe who is also Central province permanent secretary, said President Edgar Lungu had decided to empower women with business capital for household food security and poverty reduction at family level.
He noted that women entrepreneurs have the potential to contribute to national economic development through agriculture and small business ventures.
Mr Kabwe said President Lungu decided to extend the empowerment fund to women in churches because he was aware that they had different skills that needed to be developed once empowered financially.
He told the congregants that President Lungu had passion for underprivileged people because of his humble background.
And on completion and refurbishment of Chuwema UCZ church building, Mr Kabwe said President Lungu extended the fund to religious organisations because he was aware that the church was the custodian of peace and tranquility in the country.
Mr Kabwe assured the church leadership that once all the quotations for the requirements were ready, he would release the funds before the end of January, 2018, so that congregants could start worshiping in a conducive environment.
And Chiwema UCZ congregation secretary, Fred Namuswa, described the donations to the church and women entrepreneurs in the district as a blessing.
Mr Namuswa said they would put the K10,000 to good use and promised that the church leadership would  work expeditiously to ensure the quotations were collected in good time so that the church building was completed.
He assured Mr Kabwe that the congregants were willing and eager to have an improved church building because they already organised and ferried upfront material required for flooring and plastering. –  ZANIS