Women Farmers in Buhera: Learning Ownership Through Circle and Practice

By Admire Gwatidzo

This reflection is written by Admire Gwatidzo, who has been walking alongside women farmers in Buhera through Kuumba and Kufunda’s work. It offers a grounded view of what community-led change looks like over time — including the challenges, the patience required, and the quiet transformations that emerge.

I first got involved with Kuumba’s work in Buhera in 2023. Kuumba had already started working with the community, and later that year Kufunda joined. I came in first as a Shona translator, using my background as a farmer and my understanding of rural life. As time went on, because of my passion and connection with the women, I found myself taking a leading role in supporting the women’s project.

I have witnessed the power of Kufunda’s work in Buhera over the years. The circle brought all the women together to share deeply. Coming together changed their mindset and the way they interact with each other. They started learning from one another. It also brought unity among them as they worked together to support their families. I experienced how  the circle gives power to everyone to speak freely and from the heart.

My understanding of Kuumba and Kufunda’s work with women through the nutrition gardens, became an important foundation for my work with them. It helped me see the power of organised women, working together, and building food systems rooted in dignity and care. Because of this, I was asked to support the women in Buhera, especially around organic farming of Kalahari melon and strengthening how they organise themselves.

From the beginning, our focus was not only on farming. It was also about how the women come together. Continuing to useWe used circle processes to strengthen collective wisdom, shared leadership, and collective decision-making. Sitting in a circle iwas powerful. Seeing everyone contributing, participating with energy, and sharing experiences together continues to make a big impact on me.

When we did the first workshops on circle leadership, the group was very individualistic and hierarchical. People were holding onto positions, fear, and old power structures. Introducing the circle was not easy. It challenged how the group was used to working. At the beginning, this work felt lonely for me. What I was bringing was completely new. It felt like pouring knowledge into people who were not yet ready. The first meeting was especially difficult because people were still “carrying their jackets.”

With continuous visits and steady support, things slowly changed. People began to let go of roles and titles. I felt a strong connection growing among the women. They started supporting each other. Mutual respect grew. They began to see each other as family. Now, when I go to Buhera, I feel like I belong there, and the community takes me as part of them.

I learned that it is very important to listen to the voice of the community. With a good process, people can come up with clear intentions and dreams for what they want. The women looked at their area and saw that it is suitable for small grains and drought-tolerant crops. Their dream for the future is to do value addition so they can get more income.

As a farmer, I was inspired by how Kuumba and the women in this very dry region (Region 4/ 5) worked with what already grows well there. Instead of bringing new crops that do not belong, they focused on what they already know. The Kalahari melon, which they have always grown for food and for animals, became a crop for value addition and income. Intercropping and ground cover helped protect the soil. The risk was low, and the results were good.

Through this process, traditional crops were valued again. From the income, some women have bought cattle and goats. These are real signs of change.

I felt deeply that Kufunda is rich in bringing learning tools that are close to our traditional ways. This made it easier for people to fully engage and participate. 

There was joy during the workshop. I could feel the love, joy, and ownership in what the women want to see in the future. There was also deep gratitude — for what they have, who they are, and for lighting a candle in one another to build a strong women’s project.

The women began to understand leadership and ownership as something shared. Many shared how they once felt unable to speak or contribute in their families and communities. Now they speak. They contribute. They take initiative. They support school activities and contribute both cash and resources as women.

There is a clear need to continue supporting the women in their dreams, so that confidence can keep growing and taking root. The artwork process also held great power — helping people begin their stories and trust the process.

I strongly believe that it is women who will change their communities. As we often say in the work:

“Whatever the question, community is the answer.”

In Buhera, I can see that answer rising through women’s collective leadership.