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2 CHAIRMANS FOREWORD
Chairman: Trevor Ncube tncube@newsday.co.zw Group CEO: Raphael M Khumalo rkhumalo@zimind.co.zw Group Senior Associate Editor: Iden Wetherell idenw@zimind.co.zw The Peoples Choice Magazine is published by Alpha Media Holdings Block 1, Third Floor, 1 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe, PO Box BE 1165, Belvedere, Harare. Tel: 773934-8, 798894-6, 771635. Fax: 773854. DIRECTORS: Trevor Ncube (Chairman), Raphael Khumalo (Group Chief Executive Officer), Anna Krynska-Godlewska, Jarek Gora, EDITORIAL Group Editor-In-Chief: Vincent Kahiya: vincent@newsday.co.zw Magazine Editor: Davison Maruziva maruzivad@standard.co.zw Deputy Editor: Desmond Kumbuka dkumbuka@standard.co.zw Magazine Sales & Marketing Sales & Marketing Manager Wilson Masawa wmasawa@newsday. co.zw Marketing Team Thandiwe Jambaya tjambaya@newsday.co.zw Cynthia Dube cdube@newsday.co.zw nchimbamba@newsday.co.zw lnyangoni@newsday.co.zw Donald Gwenzi dgwenzi@newsday.co.zw Clever Mavheneke cmavheneke@newsday.co.zw Givemore Zindonda gzindonda@newsday.co.zw Sichelesiwe Bafana sbafana@newsday.co.zw Magazine Design and layout Desmond Kumbuka Cover Design: Pamela Dhlamini pdhlamini@standard.co.zw PRINTERS: Strand Multi Print: Cnr Strand/Bessemer Roads, Graniteside, Harare Tel: 771722/3

4 AGRICULTURE
Malayini Shavas pioneering vision transforms lives for Mberengwa villagers Helping Hand for Old Peoples Home

6 ARTS & CULTURE

Through Edmore Aaron, arts finds expression in Dzivarasekwa 8 Bambatha: Keeping the youths out of mischief

10 EDUCATION
River gives fresh hope to Honde Valley villagers 12 Stanley Khumalos brainchild, Sindwane Fund, helping educate children in Bulawayo.

14 ENVIRONMENT
Project gets residents involved in solving own refuse problems 16 They are the friends of the environment

18 HEALTH
20 Ashley Mangozis club fights child abuse Rebecca Chiroodza uses own experience to fight AIDS stigma

22 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Mailas Muduwa: The bright spark in rural Seke 24 Sewage accident spurs Leonard Chaminuka to act

26 JUNIOR CITIZEN
Help at hand for struggling Zim soccer 28 Sibandas vision is a better life for HIV/AIDS patients

28 SOCIAL SERVICES
30 Extending the bounds of CSR John Mtikizizis Old Peoples Home an oasis for Bikitas elderly homeless Ex-Warrior sets up soccer academy

chairmans FOREWORD
llow me to start by sharing a few quotes that I hope will capture the essence of this project and also hopefully prick some of your consciences. The famous philosopher Aristotle believed that, It is a sin to die rich and in Matthew 16:24 Jesus Christ said: It is more blessed to give than to receive.Albert Einstein said: Only a life lived for others is worth living. Mahatma Gandhi said: You must be the change you wish to see in the world. And US President Barack Obama said: Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones weve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. And there is an Africa proverb which says: If you think you are too small to make a difference, you havent spent a night with a mosquito. And lest we forget, as we approach International Aids Day we reflect on the resilience of our mothers, grandmothers and brave children who head many households. They all labour to keep the burdened and strained family unit together. Ladies and gentlemen, Alpha Media Holdings is in the news business. And in the news business we are well aware that it is often the bad news that makes the news. The Peoples Choice Awards turn that concept on its head: The NewsDay Peoples Choice Awards is our definitive demonstration that good news can and will make the news! Good news means that we are celebrating one more child who gets to complete their schooling. We are celebrating one more community that has access to clean drinking water. One more forest that is being replenished.One more life that is being saved.One more nation that has hope. The reason we are able to find and share the good news is because, in the midst of political strife, economic collapse and social distress, somebody somewhere is doing something to help others. And those somebodies arent just somewhere they are here; among us! The people who make a difference to others in the community, who give selflessly for no financial gain, who practise a spirit of volunteerism and live a life of servant leadershipthese are the people we are celebrating. Chosen by the readers of NewsDay, these are the men and women who have been nominated in each of eight different categories for the NewsDay Peoples Choice Awards. When we launched NewsDay two and half years ago we wanted it to be different. We wanted a daily newspaper that would carry on the tradition of credible, candid and balanced reporting that we had become known for as the publishers of the Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard. But we wanted more than this. We wanted a daily paper that would reflect the views, the voices and the vision of the people of Zimbabwe. A daily paper that would become the platform on which Zimbabweans could talk to themselves. We wanted a paper that would play a leading role in national healing, nation building, reconciliation and reconstruction. I am happy to report that NewsDay has become just that. In just over two years of being launched NewsDay has challenged long established news brands and taken the coveted position of the best loved, most widely read and highest circulating daily newspaper in Zimbabwe. We have captured the hearts and minds of readers who are looking for a newspaper that is engaged, investigative, accommodating and entertaining. The NewsDay Peoples Choice Awards are the first awards of their kind in Zimbabwe and were conceived in order to: n Provide a platform for Zimbabweans to honour community and nation builders; n To give readers an opportunity to contribute to creating Zimbabwean heroes; n To provide a rallying point around which positive ideas and energy can flow; n Not only does the NewsDay Peoples Choice Awards demonstrate that NewsDay and its partners are socially engaged and relevant, but we hope that it also provides an avenue for community builders to get the additional resources they need to extend the reach of their work; and n The NewsDay Peoples Choice Awards gives our community builders a chance to shine. In the grand scheme of things you have the power, the resources or the connections to make things better. You may be a nominee, waiting to hear

whether you have won the prize for your category. You may be a public official, a business associate, or a friend of AMH. You may be filthy rich or poor or moderate in means. You may have power over multitudes or influence over just a handful of people. Either way, you have it in you to make a difference. When they ask you, tomorrow, or next year, or in several years time, But what did you do? You have a range of options for how you can answer. You may say, I nominated someone, or you may say, I sponsored a category. You may even say, I supported the winner of a category of my choice, or I gave the runner-up moral support. All of these answers are correct, and all of them will be appreciated. But the one response which is not an option is to say that we did nothing. We urge you to stand up and be counted!! The winners of the awards teach us the following: - that, in a country riven with corruption, we have in you the promise of a grassroots force for change against greed, corruption and selfishness; - that politicians are not what makes this country great but every day people like you who make sacrifices for others and their communities; - that unlocking the potential of our society and indeed our country resides in the practical actions of citizens determined to make a difference; The fact that we give of ourselves and from our own limited resources to help those less fortunate than us does not mean we must not ask questions about the deep structural inequalities in our society. We must not stop our quest for political normalcy and economic equality. At the same time we need to struggle against the demagoguery that pretends to speak for the poor while disrupting the educational and life chances of the poor. What keeps this country together is not the powerful but the ordinary people; people like the award winners we are celebrating. I get asked so many times why I still travel on a Zimbabwean passport and why I still come back to this country. I get told that Zimbabwe is a hopeless place. I disagree. I love this place. So does Zimbabwe have hope? Absolutely! But only if the people represented by the award winners are given the space to follow their passion and the freedom to dream. Sometimes thats all that it takes to unleash peoples energy and creativity. Because as tonights winners will testify, even with the most meagre resources, one can always do something. NewsDay is here to support the efforts of all those who do something. NewsDay is here to honour the choices of our readers, with the NewsDay Peoples Choice Awards. NewsDay is here to celebrate the good and positive in all Zimbabweans. So to all our winners I say: Makorokoto! Amhlophe! Congratulations! You have done us proud by simply being selfless and resourceful. Shaina! Its your chance to shine! Trevor Ncube Chairman

AGRICULTURE

Where there is a will, there is a way

eep down in the recesses of Mberengwa district, where the only visible signs of technology are overhead power lines and a dusty road serviced by one battered bus and a sprinkling of private cars that occasionally pass through, is a thriving irrigation scheme. First mooted in 2003 and only becoming fully functional during 2004 with the help and funding from CARE International the scheme is a sign of determination and hard work by the local communities led by a visionary, Malayini Shava Ziwerere. Before the irrigation was established a group of villagers established nutritional gardens around Mubaiwa Dam haphazardly with no proper strategy or plan. For Ziwerere this approach threatened the dam just 5km from his shop with siltation and along with it the livelihoods of most families. At that point Ziwerere was a councillor. He used his influence to convince the first group of villagers into forming a co-operative which would fence off 2,5 hectares of land, thus sowing the seeds of what was later to become Mubaiwa Irrigation Scheme Phase 1. The villagers were poor and could not raise money to fence their nutritional gardens. Ziwerere decided to approach CARE International who assisted with a fence, cement to build water reservoirs and to buy PVC pipes for use in siphoning water from the dam and transporting it into the tanks. i

Malayini Shava Ziweres pioneering vision transforms lives for Mberengwa villagers
The garden then became too small. As hunger begun to exact its toll on the villagers surrounding the dam an increasing number started looking at the irrigation scheme as their only hope for survival. It also meant that there was a scramble for space to establish nutritional gardens around the dam. There are now125 families dependent on Phases 1 and 2 of Mubaiwa Irrigation Scheme. According to Chairman Shadreck Gumbo Phase 2 is on three hectares of land which has provided regular income for the families that grow and market produce from the scheme. This project has become self sustaining. Over the years that we have operated it we can undertake all repair work, send some of our members to attend farming workshops where they learn new ideas and farming methods so that we continue to improve our yields, he said. Mberengwa is an area ravaged by AIDs and HIV and there are more child-headed families where children struggle to put food on their table. However, because of the scheme they can afford to pay their own fees, buy food and clothes. Philip Zhou describes how the irrigation scheme has changed his life because of the money it generates. A 10m x 1 m bed of tomatoes produces six buckets of tomatoes on the first harvest. A bucket fetches an average of US$10 on the market. I have 12 of these beds and you can just imagine how much I will generate, he said. In rural Mberengwa US$60 is a lot of money and can go a long way in supporting the education requirements of five children through primary school. Ziwerere also opened a school of cutting and designing named after him the Ziwerere Vocational Training Centre at his shop after he bought 10 sewing machines at an auction. He enrols orphans for free at the school where his wife, Taurai Shava, teaches. The school is supported by the donor community through provision of sewing material. The dresses made at the school are either sold or worn by those who make them or members of their families. Prince Hove and Evidence Siziba are among some of the orphans who have graduated from the school during the past year n initiative willingly asked to participate, although some of the farmers were not prepared to part with their grain for nothing. The 2010/2011 season saw the beginning of maize donations to the old peoples home, the childrens home, and mental institutions in the town. The same was repeated during the 2011/2012 season. These gestures went a long way in easing pressure on these homes in providing for those under their care. More projects have since been started to make sure that come 2012/2013 season the peri-urban farmers will be able to donate more than just maize. The initiative by Mavhura and the Kadoma peri-urban farmers is meant to ease the food situation that was beginning to loom in these institutions so that instead of using a lot of money on maize meal the money can now be used for other foodstuffs or for the purpose of covering other expenses. Background To page 6

Helping hand for Old Peoples Home

4

ne day in 2010 43-year-old Godfrey Mavhura, was walking in his neighbourhood, when he overheard two women talking about how the old people at Rimuka Old Peoples Home were moving around begging for food. He was deeply moved. Mavhura had no first-hand experience of the conditions at the old peoples home, knowledge or interaction with any of the elderly in-mates when he overheard the conversation between the two women. What he knew, however, was that society must surely have an obligation to take care of its elderly because they are past the age of fending for themselves. Although he did not have much in terms of resources then, this did not stop him from wanting to help in whatever way he could. Mavhura decided to take this up with the committee of peri-urban farmers. He asked the farmers to assist, not only the old people but also the under-privileged, with maize so that they would not go hungry. These groups of vulnerable people were living in a society with people that had the capacity to assist. All the farmers who were informed of this

Arts & culture

here is nothing that best exemplifies the spirit of community building than the work being undertaken by 42-year-old Edmore Aaron of Dzivarasekwa, Harare. In 1995 Aaron started the project Texcraft with the aim of imparting his knowledge in creative arts to members of his community in Harares Dzivarasekwa high density suburb. He was teaching skills in screen printing, visual arts, painting, batik, music and drama so that members of the community could use this knowledge to start projects of their own and create employment for themselves. Background Aarons history in art dates back to 1998, when he used to display his work in the Harare Gardens. It was during this time that a group of Germans saw his work and appreciated his talent. One of them, Bridget OConnor, suggested that he joins their centre in Mount Hampden, just on the outskirts of Harare off the highway to Chinhoyi and Kariba for training. Aaron accepted the offer. Fambidzanai Training Centre is a selfreliant skills centre and for four years Aaron trained specialising in creative arts. Aaron graduated from Fambidzanai with a certificate and went back to Dzivarasekwa and talked to council about training creative arts to members of the community. He was then recommended to pursue

Through Edmore Aaron, art finds expression in Dzivarasekwa, Harare

further training at Rowa Training Centre in Mutare. After this there was a further recommendation that he attends another programme at Danhiko so he could learn to train other people. In 1995, he started using the community hall in Dzivarasekwa to train people in how to make a living out of creative arts. The people only had to buy the required materials and he would teach them skills in batik, tie and dye and screen printing free of charge. At this time Environment Africa and Goal were looking for volunteers for their campaigns. They identified him because of his training as they wanted people who were working with the communities. So he began on environmental awareness campaigns in Dzivarasekwa with Environment Africa and with Goal, clearing up dump sites and drainages which helped in fighting the cholera outbreak that was there at that time. Aaron continued with his training while working on these campaigns. The project has since grown beyond Dzivarasekwa and its footprint has reached as far as Bulawayo. After training some of the residents of Dzivarasekwa in creative arts Aaron also introduced them to the markets so that they could have a place to start when they ventured out and started their own projects. Beneficiaries At least 400 people have been trained with the largest number being members of the Dzivarasekwa community. 85 people were from the Zimbabwe Homeless Peoples Federation, 150 were teachers from Murehwa and 25 were from the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Childrens Association. Achievements Through his training Aaron has assisted a lot of people to overcome unemployment. The people he has trained have even gone further because of new technology and computers and now run successful projects of their own. Norman Chimombe is among those that were trained and he now sells sculptures at Avondale and Sam Levys Village in Borrowdale. To page 24

Helping hand for Old Peoples Home

From page 4 Mavhura makes a living from peri-urban farming and other small projects. The periurban farmers tend, at most, about a hectare of land and normally harvest one and a half tonnes of maize a year. This harvest, while not enough to realise profitable sales, is nevertheless enough for subsistence and for many years that is exactly what the farmers were aiming for producing enough for their families until the next season. This, however, changed in 2010 after Mavhura overhead the two women discussing the plight of the old peoples homes. Beneficiaries More than four homes have received maize for maize meal since the beginning of the donations in 2010. Among these are, Jairos Jiri, Rubatsiro, Tariro Childrens Home and Zimcare. Achievements The number of farmers participating has increased from 75 farmers in the first season to 93 farmers in the just-ended season. At least four tonnes of maize were donated to every home during the just-ended 2011/2012 farming season. More homes benefitted from the donations than during the previous season. 6 Rimuka Old Peoples Home, Rubatsiro, Tariro, Zimcare and Jairos Jiri Centre are among those that have benefitted in both seasons and the donations have gone a long way in reducing the strain on their budgets. The farmers have been given additional land by the state so that they can continue with the work they are doing for the community, since they do not have sufficient land of their own. The fact that these are peri-urban farmers means that they are farming on land that belongs to the council and they risk it being taken away any time when council wants the land for expansion or for other use. The farmers come together at the end of every farming season when they have finished harvesting and each farmer donates whatever they they can afford. There are at least 528 peri-urban farmers in Kadoma but only 93 of the farmers participated this year. They presented their donations in the presence of the Mayor, Peter Matambo, officials from the Department of Social Welfare and Agritex. The farmers have also started collecting money and have embarked on poultry projects so that next season they will be able to donate maize as well as chickens, cooking oil and other foodstuffs. Funding Mavhura and his peri-urban farming colleagues fund this project solely out of their own resources n

Beneficiaries say...
Mr Mutema, the head of the Jairos Jiri Centre in Kadoma says his organisation was among those that received the maize donations and this has reduced the burden on the school as they now divert some of the money meant for buying maize meal to cover other expenses. A senior teacher at Rubatsiro School for the mentally and physically handicapped in Kadoma, Mrs Chiweda, says the school was grateful for the donations they were receiving from Mavhura and the group of peri-urban farmers. In June this year they got 20 -50 kg bags of maize and this has gone a long way in assisting the school which provides breakfast, porridge, and lunch for students. The founder of Tariro Childrens Home, Mrs Magama, said the maize they received helped them provide decent food for the children. The home cares for 32 children and sometimes it faces serious financial challenges so the support from the peri-urban farmers helped to remove another expense off the list of the requirements of the childrens home and the support was greatly appreciated.

Arts & culture

Bambatha: keeping the youths out of mischief

ore than five years ago, it became apparent that in order to keep young people in Bulawayos townships from the streets, there was an urgent need to create projects with the capacity to empower youths. One resident, Styx Mhlanga, had a vision to create something that youths in Bulawayo would look up to when they are out of school or in search of careers to pursue. He started the Bambatha Actors Centre project after realising that there were no recreational facilities in his community, which is made up of the townships of Emganwini and Nketa in Bulawayo. Mhlanga had come to the conclusion that there was a lot of talent and felt that the need to respond to this felt-need would keep the youths away from the streets. Consequently, he came up with this arts and culture project to equip youths with skills that would create employment for them. The goal, always, was to train quality actors who would be competent in the acting industry. Styx Mhlanga is 46 years old. He is the founder and coaching director of Bambatha Actors Centre. The centre offers a two-year course in arts and culture and Mhlangas first set of graduates completed last year. Bambatha Actors Centre has a created a number of productions that include Stitsha, Nyaminyami, It Never Rains and Moja, among many others which Mhlanga directed. Most of the students from this project have gone on to become highly qualified and some are success stories in the industry. The award-winning artiste, who is also a playwright, having penned plays like The U-Turn, Keep in Touch, Born Again and The Mask among others, has come a long way. A lot of young people in his community have responded very well by joining the organisation to upgrade their skills in the arts and cultural activities. He has helped groom several prominent actors like Thulani Mbambo and Millicent Roberts, to mention but a few. Mhlanga faces the challenges that confront all small organisations, that of attracting sufficient financial support for the project so he can have more students to impart skills, upgrade the centre and empower Bulawayo youths. Mhlanga and his colleagues have managed to identify and produce a lot of talent from their community. Major partners in terms of capacity and venue are Amakhosi Theatre

Styx Mhlanga Man with a mission

Productions, where they conduct their practical work, and the National Art Gallery, Bulawayo, where they have their studio and where a lot of work is undertaken. Parents of the participants at Bambatha are very supportive of the project. For Styx Mhlanga, the vision for the future is the creation of Bambatha Performing Arts, which will transform the current project into a bigger empire of the arts and culture in Bulawayo. Although an award-winning playwright, Styx Mhlanga has remained in the shadow of his elder and more controversially popular brother, Cont Mhlanga. Having such a prominent artiste for a brother has its advantages. Cont Mhlanga is more experienced, meaning the younger brother has an easily accessible fountain from which to seek advice. Styx Mhlanga is one of the prolific directors to emerge from the City of Kings in a career that kicked off following a training stint with a Bulawayo City Council project, Iluba Elimnyama, in 1986. Kus of Canada sponsored the project. They were trained in experimental theatre and Styx Mhlanga focused on acting and directing. They had among them several artistes who included Patrick Mabhena, Clayton Ndlovu, Nomadlozi Khubeka and the late Dumi Ngulube. Mhlanga engaged in different roles in the theatre world as he sought to find his feet and he discovered that his passion resides in directing, after dabbling in acting, dancing, scripting and backstage. The TV productions that Styx Mhlanga has directed include Yeyeni Bantu, The San People a docudrama that was shown on the Travel Channel in the United States and his play, Nomakanjani, which was also screened on national television, the ZTV. Styx Mhlanga won a National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) for the play Keep in Touch in 2002. Styx Mhlanga is a published Ndebele novelist. He has a passion for writing and believes that there is need to give attention to the Ndebele language. There are a lot of stories that need to be told; the difficulties and the joys of peoples lived every day experiences. His first novel Ngekekulunge was published in 2009. He is working on another one entitled Izwe Linciphile, which is about the land reform programme. His plays and stories are about the things that he sees happening near Emganwini Township where he lives. Turning back to theatre, he said some of the plays he has directed that have had an impact on theatre lovers include Aristophanes Lysistrata and Sophocles Oedipus the King. Mhlanga is a member of the Lincoln Centre Directors Lab, an international association of directors that leads in sharing of ideas in theatre productions and exchange of skills n

Styx Mhlanga (left) in action with some of his students

8

River gives fresh hope to Honde Valley villagers

James Muterere is teaching people in his area that self-help is a viable option in times of need.

any areas in Zimbabwe experience inadequate water supplies perenially but most people just complain about the problem and expect the authorities to do something about it. But not James Muterere, a retired RM Insurance employee who decided to make a difference in his community. After observing that schools in Honde Valley, in Manicaland Province, particularly Muterere Primary and Secondary School, were having serious water problems Muterere took it upon himself to make the situation better by having locals come together and drawing water from the nearby Pungwe River, so that the schools could have tapped water. Muterere, now 71, spent his childhood years in Honde Valley and only came to Harare to look for work after completing his secondary school education. While he was attending school in Honde Valley, he noticed how difficult it was to access clean water. They had to travel almost three kilometres to get water, from Pungwe River, and every time they got back everyone would be too tired to pay attention to the teacher in class. Muterere often wondered if nothing could be done to make things a little easier because as it was children were beginning to hate going to school. What made everything even worse was the fact that after school the children also had to go home and assist their parents to get water from the same Pungwe River. When Muterere relocated to Harare he would visit his rural home every public holiday and he noticed that the problem still persisted and that was when he decided to take action. In 1991, Muterere held a meeting with the people of his village and suggested what he had in mind. 10

He wanted to bring tapped water to the schools and so he needed people to come together to raise money to buy pipes and also to dig and put these pipes underground from Pungwe River to the Muterere Primary and Secondary Schools. He started this project in 1991 with the aim of improving conditions at schools in his home area, Honde Valley. Members of the community were pleased with the idea and they started working on it. This has successfully been done and both schools now have water from taps and the children can now focus on their studies. Muterere did not stop there. He went on to make sure that the schools had electricity and he also applied to Ministry of Education for the introduction of Advanced level at Muterere Secondary School. His application

was approved. Since he started, the situation has improved greatly and most people, even households now have running water in their homes. Currently he is working on finding a new source of water because Pungwe River can only supply a certain number of people and not the whole of Honde Valley. Muterere primary and high schools are among those that have benefitted since the commencement of the project. A number of households have also benefitted and Muterere is still working on making sure that everyone has easy access to clean water. Members of the Muterere community raise the money themselves and this is the reason why the project is taking a long time n

Beneficiaries say....
Hebert Mandimutsira one of the locals of Muterere village said the project has helped them very much because water is a big problem in their area. They were drawing water from unprotected wells because clean water was too far and this was not healthy. The risk of diseases was very high and also it was risky for the children because some of the children were falling in the wells . The only problem now is that the water is not enough for everyone but the situation is much better than it was and they are grateful to Muterere for coming up with this initiative. Mr Gambo was also a part of the group that was brought together by Muterere. He is pleased that the project was a success. The water problem in their area was one that was beginning to trouble everyone and the solution Muterere provided is greatly appreciated.
To page 12

To live like a king, one must work like a slave

Stanley Khumalos brainchild, Sindwane Fund, helping educate orphaned children in Bulawayo

o Live like a king, one must work like a slave, is the old adage by which Stanley Khumalo has modelled his life, and if the many children he is helping through school are anything to go by, it is certainly paying huge dividends. Khumalo, 64, is the proverbial knight in shining armour, and his personal project code named Sindwane Fund seeks to assist in the education of orphans and vulnerable children, a particularly welcome gesture in these days of HIV/AIDS which has left thousands of children without parents. In 2008, I realized I had only one child left who I was sending to school. She is doing medicine at the National University of Science and Technology, said Khumalo in an interview. I decided, with the Christian conviction of a Seventh Day Adventist, that to give is more blessed than to receive, and that I should sponsor the education of at least 10 children. I chose orphans, with no one to support their education. I asked the schools to give me names of orphans who were experiencing difficulties paying school fees. Khumalo started his personal project in 2008 which he decided to call Sindwane Fund, and which seeks to assist in the education of orphans and vulnerable children. It involves paying school fees and buying stationery for such children and currently there are 10 beneficiaries at schools in Bulawayos high-density suburbs. I have been paying school fees for nine of my children and it had been difficult, explains Khumalo. Pupils who were supported when they were in Grade Seven in 2008 are now in Form Four and and are expected to do well in their O Level examinations. There are four at Mpopoma High School, one at Magwegwe Secondary School and another one at Pumula Secondary School. Khumalo is also supporting two children at Nyamande Primary School, one at Ngubo Primary School and another at the Seventh Day Adventist Pelandaba Primary School. I think its a worthy cause and I hope just like my children they can do well in their education and be respectable people in society, says Khumalo. His successful children include a mechanic, hotel administrator, lecturer in computer science in Botswana, auditor in Pretoria, teacher, hotel manager in the UK and a computer programmer in Pretoria. The programme is funded from Khumalos 12

Stanley Khumalo The proverbial Knight in shining armour

salary as an environmental health technician with children. the Bulawayo City Council. If we could all, including companies, Apart from supporting the children with sponsor the education of disadvantaged school fees, Khumalo also took the children children then we would make a difference to on educational trips to Victoria Falls in 2009 humanity. I would like to assist more children and Kariba in 2010. The idea is to give but resources are a problem. My request is for these disadvantaged land on which to start an income generating children, something project to raise to motivate them, money to sponsor which other children more children. enjoy. But the trips Khumalo, who Lwazi Ncub are educational and e, lives in Richmond, says: Khum Bursar, Mpopoma High afterwards they a S Bulawayo, is married are in Form lo is paying for four child chool have to write essays Four at our re n who and has nine children school. He paying for th has or compositions e of his own. He was and I unders m since they were in F been orm based on the trips. tand he start born in Lower Gweru there were a ed paying th One For the trips e t in a family of 10. He are in the sc primary school. Three m while of the pupils iences class I am getting attended Lower Gweru . What is eve is that durin gh financial n Mission and Ascot tourist destin olidays he takes them good on trips to ations like V assistance from in Gweru where he Last time he ictoria Falls an w my children completed his O Levels. but the child anted to take them to d Kariba. Mozambiqu rens familie who I sent to After school he trained to e s could not of organizin do gp school and are be an environmental health could not ta assports for them. So their part ke off. the trip doing well. I technician at Domboshava P u p il suppo have managed Training Institute. He primary sch rted with school fees a oo tS to buy them joined the Bulawayo City that Mr. Khu l : I am grateful for th DA ea m T-Shirts with Council in 1974, where my school fe alo has given me throu ssistance gh e the inscription he is still employed as tomorrow. s so that I can be a bett paying er person : Endurance an environmental health is the key technician. to success, Mr Khumalo finances which they wear on these trips. This the school fees from his own is my motto and I also believe to Live like a salary and for the holiday trips asks his children King, Work like a Slave, explains Khumalo. who are now working to assist him. He is A self-confessed disciplinarian, he insists appealing for land where he can start an income on tracking the performance of the children generating project n who he sponsors just as he did with his own

Beneficia

ries say...

environment
Africare identified and was impressed by the work Mandaga was carrying out. They referred him to Practical Action, which advised him to form a group. Initially the group was formed under the name Shambidzikai Environmental Awareness Group but later it changed to Green Africa Network. Beneficiaries This project has benefitted most residents of Chitungwiza, particularly those in Zengeza, St Marys, Seke Rural and Urban as well as Mayambara. Residents are now aware of the importance of waste management and keeping the environment clean. The resultant outcome is an improved environmental status in these areas. Achievements Mandaga has formed a coalition with residents of Seke Rural and Urban, Mayambara, Zengeza and St Marys. Together they have devised ways of using waste productively. They have started making compost heaps in their yards, because they do not have land, and they use this manure in place of fertiliser when farming. Green Africa Network has also formed a partnership with Chitungwiza Town Council, and together, have managed to integrate private companies into supporting community- based initiatives in the area. Elgin Earth movers donated two tipper trucks and one front-end loader to Green Africa Network to use in refuse collection. Mandaga and his group were also a part of the typhoid intervention panel in Seke. The panel comprised major non-governmental organisations such as the World Health Organisation, Africare, National Health Trust and many other renowned NGOs. They teamed up to fight the outbreak of typhoid in Seke, with Green Africa Environment bringing a new kind of respect to community initiatives. These include the rehabilitation of waste To page 18

A front-end loader makes refuse disposal childs play

Project gets residents involved in solving own refuse problems

he prospect of the town of Chitungwiza being overrun by waste prompted one man into action. The action came in 2006 in the form of a project called Green Africa Network, focusing on the environment. Thirty-one-year-old Gilbert Mandaga is very passionate about the environment. It was this passion that saw him launch the Green Africa Network project, which focuses on waste management in Chitungwiza, rehabilitation of illegal waste dumps, clearing of blocked storm water drains and community educational campaign component. Mandaga was born and raised in Chitungwiza. But it was during 2006, when he was on attachment to the Chitungwiza Sewage Treatment Plant, that he noted the challenges that were being faced at the plant. People were depositing solid waste material toothbrushes, pieces of cloth, and even underwear in the toilets and this was clogging up the pipes and affecting the proper and efficient functioning of equipment at the plant. The garbage would cause the sewers to spill over and in one tragic incident a child actually died after drinking sewerage water that was flowing in the streets. It was this tragedy that prompted Mandaga into action. He presented a proposal to the then Town Engineer, advocating for a community education programme on sewerage management because he saw that the problem of waste management did not lie solely with the Council but that the community too had a role to play. The Town Engineer referred Mandaga to the Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Aaron Chiseve, who then asked Mandaga for a concept paper. The concept was accepted and 14 Mandaga got into the community and started teaching. Mandagas first presentation was at Chitungwiza Residents Association where 22 out of the 24 Wards in Chitungwiza were present. The meeting was very instructive. After his presentation all the ward representatives then invited him to their wards. There was an initial reluctance by the majority of the residents because they reasoned that waste management was the responsibility of the Council. Eventually, however, they began to realise that what Mandaga was talking about would actually benefit them if they took the time to listen.

Beneficiaries say...
Twenty-seven-year-old Kudakwashe Makaripe has lived in Chitungwiza for 25 years. He confirms the enormous impact of the project launched by Mandaga in the area. People, he says, have become aware of their responsibility towards keeping the town clean and it is up to them now to use the knowledge they have been taught to their advantage. There will always be those who oppose, says Makaripe, but the majority of us want to see an improvement in Chitungwiza. That is why, occasionally, we also go and help when we see Mandaga and his group cleaning up. Tuck shop owner, Fungai Dhumukwa, who is 39 years old, says Mandagas project has benefitted many residents. Chitungwizas high population is prone to diseases if waste is not properly managed and Mandagas project is a very noble one and deserves to be applauded and supported. The project has reduced waste especially in Zengeza and the belief among the residents of Chitungwiza is that going forward dumps and burst sewers will be a thing of the past. Steven Munyavi one of the residents of Chitungwiza believes that if Mandaga had all the resources and assistance he needs, he would transform completely the outlook of the town because even with the limited resources at his disposal, Mandaga has managed to bring about a huge change to their community. The situation has improved since the project started, but residents also agree that cleaning up Chitungwiza is a huge task that cannot be achieved over night. However, what Mandaga has started should be commended because it is a step in the right direction.

They are the friends of the environment

eforestation is continuing at an alarming rate. It is being fuelled by the global demand for energy, timber, paper, land preparation for agriculture and devastation by veld fires, among many other requirements. It was in direct response to the deforestation that Philip Mataranyika, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nyaradzo, formed Friends of the Environment. Since July 2010, he has pioneered the planting of a tree with each burial the Nyaradzo group has conducted. The number of burials every year is between 6 000 and 10 000. The effect of this initiative is that over the past two years Friends of the Environment have planted more than 12 000 trees. The initial feedback indicated that members of the public favoured the idea, goading Mataranyika to think big and invite other companies to come together and form Friends of the Environment as a not-for-profit organization. Background Mataranyika started this project after he realised that widespread deforestation was turning out to be one of the chief global ecological tragedies of modern times and that Zimbabwe was no exception. He began researching the subject and was surprised by what he found; Zimbabwes forests are depleting much faster than nature could replenish on its own including current reforestation efforts. A report by the Forestry Commission revealed that, in Zimbabwe alone, 330 000 hectares of forests are destroyed annually and at this rate our forests will be completely wiped out in 52 years. It is a sobering statistic and quite mind-numbing. Much of Zimbabwes rural landscape lies desolate and the country is faced with creeping desertification. Zimbabwe will never be able to solve the climate change crisis without seriously engaging in reforestation while at the same time stopping deforestation. It was after these findings that Mataranyika decided to embark on the treeplanting project. The overall goal is to plant 500 million trees in 15 years. This translates to an average of 33 million trees annually. Since planting trees at burials alone will not enable them to reach their target, Mataranyika also came up with the idea of walkathons as a way of creating awareness. Friends of the Environment also visit various places and organisations around the country planting trees and teaching people the importance of replacing trees that are being lost every day. Beneficiaries This project has benefitted most parts of the country and more than 30 000 trees have been planted so far. Among those that have benefitted are several churches in Harare, Warren Hills Cemetery, and various schools among them Maranatha Primary, Bosha Secondary, Munyawiri Primary and Tanyaradzwa Childrens Home.

Philip Mataranyika (above rt) and his team tend to tree seedlings

A decision was reached soon after the first walkathon that it would be best to undertake these walkathons annually. Therefore this year the tree planting message is headed for Mutoko. Activities Friends of the Environment encourage people, especially those in rural communities, to desist from indiscriminate tree cutting even for commercial gain. It promotes the conservation of the environment and natural habitat in order to foster balanced co-existence between humanity and nature. It engages rural and urban communities in aggressive tree planting initiatives. Friends of the Environment educate families on how to protect the environment while deriving value and income through orchards and woodlots. It undertakes training of communities in agro-forestry for empowerment in areas such as seed propagation, furniture production and tree processing. It also empowers community-based organizations that are already involved in tree planting and conservation efforts. Friends of the Environment also realised that to plant any number of trees, there must be a strong and vibrant nursery support system. A decade of economic challenges has decimated all that there was in terms of nurseries. The group has embarked on a tree nursery establishment drive aiming to put up 100 nurseries in all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe by 2015, thus ensuring the availability of tree saplings for communities. Funding The project is funded by private companies, which include among them the Nyaradzo group, Old Mutual, OK, Zimplats, Mimosa and Kingdom Bank n

Achievements The project has had a great impact countrywide and the response and participation by members of different communities has been tremendous. Trees have been planted at the Methodist Church Head Office, Maranatha, Headlands, Mutare Urban, Makate Village in Murehwa, Zimbabwe Prison Services, Mutare Prison, Marondera Prison, Mutoko Prison and Chikurubi Maximum Prison as a result of the project. In addition to the more than 12 000 trees that have also been planted during the past two years at every burial undertaken by the Nyaradzo group other trees have also been planted along the Bulawayo Road. In 2010, Friends of the Environment conducted their first walkathon covering a distance of about 300 kilometres - Gweru to Harare - planting trees along the way. In 2011 they held another walkathon, this time from Harare to Mutare, and it is estimated that more than 12 000 trees were planted during these walkathons. 16 16

Beneficiaries say...
The Director of Tanyaradzwa Childrens Home, Mr Chitekwe, said they were referred to Friends of the Environment by Chairman of Arts for Environment, Pax Gomo. Friends of the Environment gave them about 300 fruit trees which they planted at their homes. Chitekwe said Mataranyikas project was very important because it preserves the environment and benefits everyone in the long run. Another beneficiary, Mr Zaranyika, said that Friends of the Environment was a part of his churchs tree planting activity. Mataranyika and his group did not only provide the seedlings but they were also involved in the actual tree planting. Mr S Mhembere, a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Harare says Friends of the Environment gave the church tree seedlings to plant at their homes, both in town and in the rural areas. This inspired them as a church to initiate and undertake a project of their own where they went and planted trees at a school in Westlea, Harare. Mhembere believes that the project is important because it is creating awareness of the importance of trees which people tend to take for granted, and acceptance that deforestation presents a serious threat to the environment. To page 18

health

Ashley Mangozis Club fights child abuse

member of Childline. Ashley then decided to form an anti-abuse club in 2010. He started by raising awareness about the club at school where his friends and a number of students later joined him. The club was made up of 10 members and it later grew to 65 members. He says dealing with children who are being abused has not been easy because the members of the anti-abuse club must be equipped with necessary skills to get the children to trust them and open up about their experiences. Sometimes some cases of abuse were not probed thoroughly due to lack of participation by victims. Ashleys Anti-Abuse Club has so far addressed 35 000 primary school students, and 15000 secondary school students. Last year in March, the Anti-Abuse Club spent the whole month going around schools in Bulawayo addressing children in order to reduce the rate of abuse in Bulawayo which stood at 98,5% last year. Their efforts paid off as the rate reduced to 50,5% this year. With funding from UNICEF and from Canada, the 65 members of the club visit primary and secondary schools around Bulawayo addressing school children about sexual abuse and also holding counselling sessions with victims of abuse at schools. Ashley and his club aim to reduce the rate of abuse in Zimbabwe. Childline also provides cash which helps the club members distribute Anti-Abuse Club pamphlets in different schools and to buy T-shirts n

hild abuse remains a serious problem in Zimbabwe despite interventions by the government through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and a plethora of non-governmental organisations and charities to deal with issues involved. While many privately inspired initiatives, including the more visible Childline have been in operation for years, their impact remains limited largely because of the veil of secrecy that shields child abuse from public scrutiny. Hardly out of his teens himself, Ashley Mangozi has become one of the youngest child advocates for an abuse-free environment in Bulawayo. Ashley says he grew up seeing other children being abused by the people they expected to be their role models and who were supposed to protect them. He realised that abuse cases (sexual, physical and emotional) were often hidden away from the society while most victims were afraid to speak up and report their cases for a number of reasons. This is what gave Ashley the zeal to help children who are victims of abuse as they were the most vulnerable and could not stand up for themselves. He formed the anti-abuse club which has been running for the past two years. Ashley was born on August 29 1992 and grew up in Queens Park West in Bulawayo. He currently lives in Mzilikazi with his parents and three siblings. Ashley says the real urge to act against child abuse started when he was in Form II at Milton High school. A friend asked Ashley to accompany him to a Childline meeting. Ashley was intrigued by the operations of the organisation and asked a number of questions. He ended up receiving a lot of enlightening about abuse, its effects on children, how to tell if one is being abused, how to avoid it and how to react if one was being abused. From then on, Childline invited Ashley to their projects and he later became a

Bulawayo teenage hero Ashley Mangozi

Beneficiaries say...
Matthew Dube He first met Ashley at Foundation College in 2011 when he was in Form III. Matthew described Ashley as passionate and willing to help other children. He said it was this passion that was driving his dedication to his Anti- Abuse club. Ashley Unity went to school with Ashley Mangozi at Foundation College and witnessed the start of Ashleys advocacy work and the formation of the Anti- Abuse Club. He describes Ashley as hardworking, intelligent and academically gifted. According to Unity, Ashley is a great mentor who taught the club members the skills he had received from Childline.

From page 14 dumps and clearing of blocked drains. This is what Mandaga refers to as the practical approach towards education. He believes that some of the greatest lessons are learnt just by observing and so before they even start making presentations they start by showing the intended beneficiaries what needs to be done. The garbage at the dumps is collected by the tipper trucks donated by Elgin. The biggest challenge however, lies in getting the garbage collected because while Elgin donated the trucks, fuel still needs to be procured and sometimes the money is not readily available. Their other activity is community education. Mandaga and his group 18

Chitungwiza solving own refuse problems

teach members of community how to handle their waste even if Council does not come to collect refuse. Mandaga is also sometimes invited to forums to speak on environmental issues. Funding Apart from a few donations, there has been no assistance in funding this project at all. All the work that has been done so far was on a zero budget and this is what has slowed down what Mandaga would have liked to be the dawn of a new era in waste management in Zimbabwe in general but in Chitungwiza in particular n

health

A warrior against HIV/Aids

Rebecca Chiroodza uses own experience to fight Aids stigma
their officials making presentations to people in workplaces. She was on the road all the time even going as far as Beitbridge. From that time to date Chiroodza has become a source of inspiration for many people infected and affected by HIV. Chiroodza is involved in workshops and trainings. She teaches people about the stages after getting tested, denial and hatred towards those you think might have infected you. She also teaches people how to overcome these emotions and move forward. Stress management, protected sex and healthy eating are also some of the things she emphasizes and cites them as the reason her HIV has not culminated into full-blown AIDS even after so many years. Chiroodza also works with PSI whenever there are campaigns, workshops or training, all on a voluntary basis. With their Workplace programme she visited a number of big organisations such as Telecel, Rennaisance Bank, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Afre Corporation, Mazda Willowvale, and so many others. Occassionally she still goes to Wilkins Clinic to counsel patients free of charge and to give support. She also trains home-based care. Two months ago, Chiroodza was on Star FM, on a show called Kind of Love presented by Lee Kandiero and Beatrice Tonhodzai. Chiroodza was given this platform to educate the nation and inspire people with her testimony and experiences. Among her achievements since she joined the campaign against HIV/AIDS, in 2007, Chiroodza was given a GIEPA Certificate, Greater Involvement and Empowerment of People living with HIV/AIDS by Population Services International. She is the only one in Zimbabwe to ever get such recognition and receive such an award. This was in appreciation of the great impact she has had in Zimbabwe as a whole. There is no funding for the project, and Chiroodza uses her own resources to travel except when she is working with PSI, which provides the transport and food n

ne of the greatest challenges to efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS scourge, is the stigma associated with the disease, and most people diagnosed with the condition usually elect to become closet sufferers, which means they hide away from the public and keep their illness a big secret. Rebecca Chiroodza, 36, of Domboshava who has been living positively with HIV since 1999, is one of a very small number of people countrywide who decided to break this mould and go public with their condition in the hope that their experiences will help others similarly infected. Although she still does not have full-blown AIDS since testing HIV-positive 13 years ago, she was among the first people to disclose their status and participate in anti-stigma campaigns. Since 2003 she has been moving countrywide, in workplaces, churches, homes and through the media, radio and television teaching about HIV and home based care. She uses her own testimony as a lesson to other people and this has helped many people countrywide to change their behaviours and attitudes if they are still negative, and also if they are positive so they can continue living healthy life. When Chiroodza got tested in 1999, HIV was still an enigma and she could not tell anyone even her close family and friends because she feared how people would react. She describes this as one of the most difficult times in her life because she needed someone to confide in but the fear of rejection was so great she chose to keep quiet. In 2001, Chiroodza joined a support group, New Life Support Group and every Saturday they held meetings. In 2003 Chiroodza volunteered to participate in an anti- stigma campaign organised by Population Services International (PSI). This was triggered by her

Fighting to win Rebecca Chiroodza

sisters death who she believes could have lived if she had opened up and gotten treatment. She never got treatment and this resulted in her ultimate death. Working with PSI, they produced an advertisement which was very popular on ZTV where there were four or five people that were revealing their statuses on national television. Chiroodza was among these people and her message was Handina kuroiwa, ndiri kurarama neHIV) meaning, she was not bewitched she is living positively with HIV. The advertisement saw the beginning of Chiroodzas project because after this she started getting many phone calls from people who needed help. PSI then introduced her to what they call a Workplace Programme and she started moving around the country with

Anna Chiremba, a 60-year-old woman, who has been going to the same church with Chiroodza for many years, says she always knew that Chiroodza was into HIV campaigns but until 2011 she had never fully appreciated her work. In 2010 Chirembas daughter, a 25-year-old married woman with two children, became very ill. Being a member of the Apostolic Church, Mughodhi, Chirembas first thought was not the hospital; she took her to the prophets of the church for spiritual and water treatment. The prophets gave them all sorts of explanations but Chiroodza knew the symptoms. For a long time the family of the sick woman did all sorts of things with stones and water that were prescribed by the prophets all to no avail. Early in 2011, Chiroodza approached the mother in secret, because it was against the church to get treatment at hospitals. She advised her to get her daughter tested. She recognised her symptoms as those of Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV and she told the mother as much. As Chiremba was now desperate she took the advice.

Beneficiaries say...

The daughter indeed had TB and also tested HIV positive. She started getting treatment and within a few months she was well. Mr Dandiro was assisted by Chiroodza when even his family had lost hope in his recovery. Dandiro who lives in Nyamande moved in with his sister next door to Chiroodza, in 2010, after he became very ill and no one could take care of him. Chiroodza approached him and talked to him about the importance of getting tested and how she had been living positively for so many years. Dandiro was tested and is now living a healthy positive life. Loretha Phiri works for Afre Corporation and says Chiroodza made some presentations at her companys subsidiaries which have gone a long way in influencing behaviour-change among the workforce. Not only that, a number of workers actually called her after the presentation so that she could help them or even members of their families.

20

infrastructure development

Mailas Muduwa: The bright spark in rural Seke

n 1999 66-year-old, Mailas Muduwa started the Muduwa Development Club. It had as its aim bringing electricity to Mhonda Village in the Mayambara section of rural Seke. Muduwa wanted to bring the community together so that they could all participate in the development of their area as well as come up with other projects to facilitate growth in Mayambara. Background Muduwa is a businessman living in Mhonda Village, Mayambara. He owns a company, Super Master, which sells tyres and motor spares. For a long time he and the other villagers in the village waited with the hope that one day the electrification programme would get to their area but this never happened. While Muduwa at least had solar energy the rest of the people were still using candles and paraffin for lighting and wood for cooking. Then at one stage a group was formed for people to join so they could raise enough money to enable them to have the villagers connected to electricity. Everyone including Muduwa joined and money was raised but the initiative fizzled out and what happened to the peoples money no one ever got to know. The residents had almost given up on prospects of getting electricity and enjoying the attendant benefits that would make their lives better. This worried Muduwa who decided it was time someone took some action. But Muduwa did not want to bring electricity to his household only while the villagers who surrounded his homestead continued to live in darkness. It was then that he formed the Muduwa Development Club which everyone was free to join. Initially the club had 14 members because everyone was reluctant to join especially after the previous scam which was still very fresh in the minds of the villagers. Undeterred, Muduwa chose to work with those that were prepared to forget about the previous failed attempt. He approached the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply (ZESA), but ZESA wanted a

After the Muduwa project, Seke villagers say they now aspire to the same living standards as in the cities.

letter from a bank. Muduwa used his company as a guarantor for the project. Super Master therefore wrote the letter that CBZ required. When people started to see how serious the project was, they started joining. In no time poles were being erected and electrification of the area started. Beneficiaries More than 300 people have benefitted from the electrification programme. The project has extended beyond Mhonda Village to Savanhu, Kandeke and Mhundwa Villages.

Beneficiaries say...
Tapera Chari was one of the first members of Muduwa Development Club. He admits that everyone was sceptical but eventually the people realised that the club was not there to get money from the people but that it actually wanted to help them. Chari notes that using firewood for cooking was becoming a challenge because firewood was becoming expensive and people were starting to cut down trees so the project could not have come at a better time. Nyadzisai Dura is a 35-year-old mother 22 of five. She says that it was very hard coping without electricity, because when one has children there is so much that has to be done - cooking, and boiling water for bathing, among other things. She was among the first to join because she had been waiting for someone to stand up and take the lead, so when Muduwa did she did not hesitate. Life is much easier and we can also maintain the same standards as those living in towns, Dura said.

Achievements Almost the entire Mhonda village now has electricity. Three other neighbouring villages have also joined them and there are so many villagers demanding electricity so much so that Muduwa has applied to Zesa for increased capacity to power more villagers homes. The villagers have started projects that they could not do when they did not have electricity such as welding, catering and baking. This has increased confidence and pride among the villagers, who have started building better houses with security walling and gates, making the homesteads very different from the usual set up one finds in rural areas. Activities Since the Muduwa club started it has been on a continuous mission to develop the area and bring people together to address problematic issues in their community. They have since realised that it is easier and faster to deal with their own problems rather than wait for authorities to come to their aid. The electricity project has made Muduwa very popular in Mhonda Village and he has shown that he is a leader who can be trusted. Although the electricity project was supposed to have been complete by now the problem of overloading has arisen and Muduwa has again applied to ZESA for a second transformer. When the electricity issue has been fully resolved Muduwa is looking at building a community hall so that people can have a place to do their projects. The whole community is looking forward to this new project. Funding The community members fund their own projects and Muduwa and Super Master always meet whatever shortfalls arise n

infrastructure development

eonard Chaminuka was touched when he saw an elderly woman who was trying to cross a sewerage- filled path which connects Rutendo 1 and Rutendo Infill. She failed to negotiate the stones, slipped and fell into the slimy pond. That was in 2009 while Chaminuka was returning home from work. In fact, the sewer bursts were so prevalent that a road that had been in common use by public transporters a year earlier, was now blocked and virtually unusable. In 2009 it was abandoned and

four foot bridges and all are proudly inscribed Chaminuka Gono a lasting example to remind all who use it of what one mans inspiration can do to change the world. An estimated 300 people use the Rutendo Infill footbridge every day. It has become the main foot bridge connecting the suburb to its major schools, Rutendo Primary and Secondary, which enrol around 200 pupils from the suburb who use the foot bridge every day when going to school. Their parents also use the same when going to the suburbs shopping centre. Gono chose to build a footbridge while other enterprising work and even worse for my wife who had to wash the clothes for me. His efforts were recognised by Ziscosteel management which donated slashers which he and with fellow workers use to cut tall grass on the sides of the footpath during the rainy season. Chaminuka has also assisted families who have problems of sewage at their homes, directing it away from homes into the many streams of sewage. The Tsuro family at 27 Jairos Street in Rutendo are some of the beneficiaries from Chaminukas initiatives. The family has two children who had become accustomed to playing in the filthy waters until Chaminuka came to the rescue. The work which everyone had left for the local authority to do is being done by just one man, who seeks no public office but the satisfaction of helping others live in better surroundings. Instead of complaining and hoping council will do something I moved in to fill the gap in aid of my community. I feel great after doing it, Chaminuka explained n

Sewage accident spurs Leonard Chaminuka to act

was reduced to a footpath. This is what triggered Chaminuka, known affectionately to his friends as Gono, to start rallying resources to build footpath crossings to help the community and his fellow workmen who use paths that cross the perennial streams and ponds of sewerage. I was touched when I saw this old lady get into trouble. She was walking with her husband who helped her up and attempted to clean her up but she was in a mess. I then resolved to do something about it, Chaminuka said. Chaminuka, who is employed as a senior caster at New Zimsteel, has built residents chose to pursue personal and parochial interests. His second major project was what he calls the works bridge. It is a footbridge that is used by more than 600 New Zimsteel workers who live in Rutendo but have to cross a stream which is also infested with sewerage for them to get to and from the main plant at New Zimsteel. This is by far the busiest footpath used by shift workers around the clock. Before Chaminuka built the bridge other workers would take the longer route to work. Taurai Mhare from New Zimsteel said: One day I slipped from the log that we used to cross and fell into the stream of sewage. It was one unpleasant journey back home from

Through Edmore Aaron, art finds expression Dzivarasekwa, Harare

From page 6 the group from the Zimbabwe Homeless Peoples Federation during the period 2009 to 2010. The training helped them a lot and they have managed to use it to work on a number of projects. They specialized in batik and interior decorating but now they even make and print T-shirts and these projects have enabled them to generate incomes. Part of the group of people from the Zimbabwe Homeless Peoples Association that was trained by Aaron has been able to use their training to improve their quality of life. Norman Chimombe is a resident of 24 Dzivarasekwa. He trained with Aaron at the Dzivarasekwa Community Hall. Achievements Through his training Aaron has assisted many people to overcome unemployment. The people he has trained have even gone further because of new technology and computers and they now run successful projects. Norman Chimombe is among those that were trained and he now sells sculptures at Avondale and Sam Levys Village in Borrowdale. Aaron was also approached by the Coordinator of Arts in Murehwa and in 2010

trained about 150 teachers. They are using the training they got to teach their students. Activities Aaron was operating from the community hall in Dzivarasekwa when he started. The people he trained were only required to pay for just their materials while he taught them, different skills in creative arts. His training covers skills in batik, screen printing, visual arts, painting, drama and music. Early this year Aaron moved from his base, Dzivarasekwa Community Hall, to train from town because the hall was no longer available for him to use for free. Since his move to town he now goes to the people to train them instead of them coming to him because the space he has is now smaller and cannot accommodate a lot of people. He also co-ordinates programmes to train youths art and environmental awareness. Funding The project is self-sustaining. The people seeking training pay for the materials necessary and Aaron just imparts his knowledge n

JUNIOR CITIZEN

Help at hand for struggling Zim soccer

Courage Musonas Shamva Academy aims to produce future soccer stars

ntil very recently, sport was never taken seriously as a life career in Zimbabwe and much of Africa, but this could be changing. Sport, particularly soccer, has gained so much popular support that more and more young people see prospects of a career as soccer players, and 24-year-old Courage Musona is determined to make that a reality by training soccer players to an international standard. Musona is the founder of Shamva Academy which is a soccer training institution that identifies and nurtures talent among those that are under the age of 21. The aim of the project is to assist children that may not be very good academically but have a talent in soccer. This does not mean those that are gifted-academically but also have a passion for the sport are barred from joining the scheme. The academys aim is not only to train the players but also give them exposure and create opportunities for them even at a young age. It is hoped this will improve the standard of soccer in the country by ensuring that training starts with the children who represent the future of the game. So what motivated Musona to take his groundbreaking decision he says he always wanted to play soccer even as a child but never got the chance because his parents always wanted him to focus on his academic studies. Fortunately for him he was also pretty good academically so he was able to stop playing soccer and focus on his studies. Although he is now a third-year student of Risk Management and Insurance at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) he still feels that he was somehow deprived because he never got to know how far he would have gotten if he had continued playing soccer. This was one of the reasons why, at 22 years of age, he decided

to start a soccer academy, so that every youngster with even the slightest interest in soccer could have a chance to pursue their interest and develop their talent. Musona says he also started this project because he wanted to assist boys in the rural areas. Having experienced both the rural and urban life he understood that while times were sometimes tough for everyone, things could be even tougher for those growing up in the rural areas because of limited opportunities and resources. The academy was formed in 2010 under the name JMC Academy which was later to be changed when Musona, who was the C in acronym JMC, had differences with his partners Jefferson and Mugo who made up the JM. That same year Musona formed the Shamva Academy based in Shamva but open to everyone from across the country. Initially Musona was training the boys on his own. He would have two sessions every weekend, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Eventually, other people began to join and he established an executive committee of four, two coaches and a team medic. They did not choose players, and anyone fitting the prescribed age groups could join, because they believed that with time and training anyone could play. They have since registered with the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Mashonaland Central. Among the academys outstanding achievements was that in 2010, two of the institutions players, Richard Gama and Valentine Tinapi, were chosen to join Aces Youth Academy, an academy in Harare which has produced soccer stars such as Knowledge Musona, Khama Billard among others. In 2011, the Under 20s played against a number of big teams such as FC Platinum, Monomotapa FC and Kiglon FC Also within the same year Livert Muroiwa and

another player, Constantine Tinapi went to the AC Milan Junior Camp at Watershed courtesy of Munyaradzi Maraire of Worldwide Scholarship. While they were at Watershed, 22 players were also at Churchill Boys High School under the same programme. The aim for this camp was to recruit players for AC Milan. One of the boys at the Churchill camp got into the top 10 but because both the academy and the boys family could not afford the costs of his travel and documents, the boy could not continue. This year three of the players, Livert Muroiwa, Muridi Kazembe and Tinashe Mapako played in the Mashonaland Central soccer provincial team. Four of the players also went for trials this year for Monomotapa FC and Aces Youth Academy. The Shamva Academy is also now in the Division 2 league. The academy currently consists of over 40 boys falling in the different age groups between Under 10 and Under 21. Training takes place from Tuesday to Friday and this has not only developed their talent but it has also provided for them a hobby leaving them with very little time for mischief, said Musona. There is no funding for this project. The only assistance that has been received so far has been from Shamva Gold Mine which allows them to use their grounds to train even though it has a football club of its own. Local business man Michael Antonio helps with transport. He allows the players to use his commuter buses for transport and then the academy pays gradually until the payment is complete.

Beneficiaries say...

Courage Musona (2nd from left) with some of his coaches and trainee-soccer players.

Givemore Muroiwa is the father of one of the boys in the academy, Livert Muroiwa, who is 18 years old. Muroiwa is very pleased with what the academy has done for his son. Through Musona, a talent was discovered in Livert that no one ever knew he possessed. Muroiwa believes that a door has been opened for his son and right now not even the sky is the limit. The very enthusiastic father said that Musona has opened their eyes to a new reality and they now know that academic success, though very important, is not the only form of success. Richard Gama has got a lot of exposure since he joined the academy. Musona is doing a good thing for the boys because most of them are very talented but their talent was going to go unnoticed if it was not for the academy. Tinashe Mapako says he has a lot of appreciation for what Musona has done for him and the other boys. They have been given them an opportunity to showcase their talent and they are doing their level best to make sure that they do not disappoint their families and Musona as well.

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SOCIAL SERVICES

Sibandas vision is a better life for HIV/AIDS patients

eldom does a university student with prospects of a good career and secure future bother to get involved in thankless community service, but Siphasisiwe Sibanda of Njube high-density suburb of Bulawayo is proving this is not true of everyone. A third year student at Lupane State University studying Language and Communication, Sibanda has a rare passion to give back to the community, even without money, by helping the sick. Sibanda looks after people living with HIV in her community in Njube, regularly visits the sick, cleans their houses and washes for them. She gives them the love and attention they need and even cleans their wounds using gloves she gets from the local clinic in Njube. Her vision is to see people living with HIV having proper medical attention and getting healed. She wants them to be empowered to the extent of believing that God is there even in their sickness. She wants to be of help to the community by helping the sick and attends health training workshops to advance her knowledge on health matters. Sibanda began her philanthropic initiative five years ago when a member of her community came from South Africa in a very critical condition and there was no one to look after her. Sibanda devoted her time to taking care of the patient until she fully recovered. Sibanda became a full time health care facilitator in 2011 devoting her free time to visiting patients at hospitals like Mpilo and Mater Dei in Bulawayo and some local clinics in the community and prayed for them. She sometimes gave away her clothes to orphans at Thembiso Childrens home, in the city. Sadly, her major challenge has been the financial problems she faces which have hindered her from securing the resources she needs to support her home based care services. Although at times its hard for her to obtain gloves and such accessories necessary in cases of contagious illnesses, she keeps her work going by using whatever she can lay her hands on to make sure she helps the needy. She tries to manage within her limited financial resources. Whenever she can, she buys things like fruits for the patients and she has seen a lot of people getting healed while others have been inspired by her preaching to turn to prayer to seek Gods salvation in their lives. Most of what she has achieved has been through her own initiatives with the backing of her church, Harvest House International sometimes gets involved. Njube clinic at times provides her with basic necessities for her home based care programme.

Rejeshkhumar Modi (right) is rewarded for some of his work

Extending the bounds of CSR

ajeshkhumar Modi was born on February 2, 1959 in India, where he grew up. He came to Zimbabwe in 1982, after being married to Parul, who was based in the country. Modi worked in a shop in the city owned by the late Manilal Naran. Five years after arriving in the country he started his own supermarket in 1987. He now operates eight supermarkets in Bulawayo under Sai Enterprises trading as Bellevue Spar. Background As part of Bellevue Spars corporate social responsibility programme and specifically to mark the companys 25th anniversary, Modi renovated the Intensive Care unit at Mater Dei Hospital and donated an ambulance to Mpilo Hospital at a ceremony witnessed by President Robert Mugabe. He has also been supporting the Nkulumane Spar Fun Run since 1997. The proceeds from the race are donated to needy people in Nkulumane. I have been in business for 25 years and I thought donating an ambulance to Mpilo Hospital would be a very good way to give back to the community, says Modi. As for the Nkulumane Fun Run, we launched it in 1997 when we were opening Nkulumane Spar and have continued with it up to day on an annual basis. The proceeds from the race are given to needy people in Nkulumane. The fun run has seen top athletes like Samukeliso Moyo participating. Achievements Three major achievements have so far been accomplished. They are: nDonating an ambulance to Mpilo Central Hospital; nRenovating the Intensive Care Unit at Mater Dei Hospital; and nSupporting the Nkulumane 10km Spar Fun Run. Funding Bellevue Spar funds the project from its own resources.

Beneficiaries say...
Jonathan Chirwa says Sibanda is a great person who has a gift from God to look after the sick. When I was not well and unable to walk two years ago she used to bring me, food, fruits, clean my wounds and read the bible for me until the time when I got better and now, I have recovered. Sibanda is helping other patients by giving them advice hoped to lead to their quick recovery. 28

Beneficiaries say...
Sister Maureen Jamieson, Mater Dei Hospital says: Rajeshkhumar Modi of Bellevue Spar was involved in the refurbishment of our Intensive Care Unit. He came in when we needed money to carry out the exercise. The project involved replacing the floor tiles, refurbishing the furniture and painting the walls giving the unit a well-deserved a facelift. I know a hospital is not the best place one wants to be but it has now a good look that uplifts ones spirits even if they are not feeling well.

John Mutikizizi Old Peoples Home, an oasis for Bikitas elderly homeless
who are assisted while at their homes. The project has an HIV and AIDS programme for orphans and vulnerable children. The home does not only provide shelter. Its assistance extends to food, clothing medication to inmates as well as medication and school fees to orphans who are not accommodated at the home. Background John Mutikizizi grew up in Bikita where his family belonged to the Zionist Christian Movement. However, in the late 1970s, he broke away to start his own church and since then his ministry has continued to flourish. In 1982 he came up with the idea of an old peoples home, which is run entirely by his Evangelical Ministry of Christ Church. He is married and they had eight children two of them are deceased - and several grandchildren. When he began there were just five people but the number continues to grow. Some of the projects that made the home self-reliant have been grounded, among them the grinding mill, which is not operating owing to a Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) fault; the small-scale

irrigation project which is not running because the diesel-powered water pump broke down; a defunct poultry project owing to lack of funds. The home is a welfare organization registered with the government through the Department of Social Welfare (w.o.12 86). Achievements More than 150 elderly destitute people have been housed at the home at one point or another since inception. Some of the old people died but some were reunited with their relatives. Apart from the elderly, the home looks after 50 orphans and vulnerable children in the vicinity of the home. This is done through the HIV and AIDS home-based care programme. Funding The home is self-funded and does not enjoy any outside funding probably as a result of donor fatigue. Well wishers from the surrounding communities assist with donations of foodstuffs from time to time. The poultry project, irrigation and grinding mill projects used to generate income, but because they are all down, the institution faces an uphill struggle. The institution also suffers from political interference. Droughts also worsen the food plight of the inmates. Water remains a challenge since their borehole and water pump broke down. Rev Mutikizizi said the community was sceptical during the first days. They argued that the home was attracting bad spirits (Ngozi) because some of the old people were foreigners. The home has the potential because it has so far turned the lives of the elderly destitute for the better.

ohn Mutikizizi, a Reverend with the Evangelical Ministry of Christ Church (EMCC) founded the John Mutikizizi Old Peoples Home in 1982 after he was moved by the plight of the homeless, destitute old people. Since then, the 70-year-old has dedicated his life to housing and caring for the nations elderly citizens. He was concerned by the number of destitute indigenous Zimbabweans found on the streets in the country. The Old Peoples Home is a registered voluntary organization which accommodates elderly destitute people of all ages, race, religion and sex. It is situated in the Bikita district of Masvingo province. Wih a capacity to house 32 inmates, the home has separate accommodation for males and for females. Half of the residents are from Zambia and Malawi who came as migrant workers in Zimbabwe but found themselves destitute when they were displaced from their employers -former white commercial farm at the height of the controversial land reform programme that began in 2000. The support and care given by the old people home is two-fold; it goes to those accommodated at the home as well as others

ormer national soccer team player, Alois Bunjira, founded the Albun Soccer Academy in 2010 with the aim of assisting talented children achieve their dreams. Bunjira, 37, on returning home from South Africa, noticed that nothing much was happening in terms of developing soccer in Chitungwiza where he lives. He wanted to change the situation and thought of establishing the academy which he named from the first two letters of his first name and the first three letters from his surname. Background Bunjira grew up in Chitungwiza and attended Zengeza 1 High School before he transferred to Prince Edward High School. It is because of the attachment to Chitungwiza that he believes that this is

Ex-Warrior sets up soccer academy

where he had to begin. Bunjira says he has played soccer all his life and started his career in the Premier Soccer League while still in high school. Bunjira reached the peak of his career during the 1990s while playing for the Zimbabwe national soccer squad, the Warriors. He realised then how important it was to nurture childrens talents particularly in sports. When Bunjira returned from South Africa after plying his skills there for more than a decade he was disappointed to see that, except for watching soccer on television and playing occasional games, nothing serious

was being done to promote soccer in Chitungwiza. It was then that he decided to embark on his project, the Albun Soccer Academy. The academy enrolls both boys and girls aged between 11 and 19 years. Beneficiaries There are 20 girls and more than 50 boys in the academy. While the majority of players are from Chitungwiza, eight are from outside the town. Among the academys achievements is the fact that 25 of its playerssecured scholarships at different schools. Seven boys will be going to Deure High School in Gutu next year for Form One. Some of the boys will be going to Chivi Mission in Masvingo and Pamushana High School, also in Masvingo n

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the judges

Musekiwa Makwanya, Consultant Social Worker and Analyst

Journalist Ropafadzo Maphimidze

Harare Mayoress, Fikile Masunda

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Joseph Malaba, Consultant and part-time MBA Lecturer

Lovett Manduku Pastor, Printer and NAMACO Board member