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Facebook musings

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Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 by Bev Clark

Ethan Zuckerman recently published a great blog on Facebook. Here’s an excerpt, but read the whole post.

Algorithms, Unbirthdays and Rewiring Facebook

Tuesday was my birthday, and I spent the day largely offline. That meant that Wednesday morning, my email inbox featured hundreds of messages from Facebook, each alerting me to a birthday greeting on my Wall. (I’m an infrequent Facebook user, so I usually find these sorts of alerts useful and haven’t disabled them.) On the one hand, this outpouring of online affection was wonderful – I felt grateful to be remembered by people I’ve not spoken to since high school.

On the other hand, it’s basically impossible to respond to the flood of messages with anything other than “Thanks!” And, of course, there’s usually nothing to the message than the greeting itself – the message is symbolic, not substantive. Which left me thinking

-    I should be better about logging onto Facebook and sending my own symbolic, semantically void greetings
-
and then

-    I should write a Facebook ap that partitions my friends into 365 roughly equally sized groups and encourages me to say hi to that specific, small set of people on that day. I’d occasionally reach someone on their birthday (though I could add additional logic to pick only unbirthday folks.) Unbirthday notes would arrive on days when people weren’t overwhelmed, and might actually spark a conversation and a chance to catch up.

Socially transgressive, or a helpful hack for building actual conversations between out of touch friends? Would other people resist such a rewiring of Facebook and the social norms it embodies, or embrace it?

All heart

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Monday, January 17th, 2011 by Bev Clark

Blessed are the hearts that can mend. They shall never be broken.
- Albert Camus

Employment opportunities in Zimbabwe

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Thursday, January 13th, 2011 by Bev Clark

Every week Kubatana publishes an email newsletter sharing information from Zimbabwean civic and human rights organisations, interesting articles, notifications of scholarships, workshops and job vacancies within the NGO sector. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter email info [at] kubatana [dot] net

Below are a few of the jobs from our latest newsletter. To apply for these positions, please get in touch with the advertisers directly.

Training Supervisor: Tree of Life
Deadline: 15 January 2011

The Tree of Life Trust is a local NGO. We provide a group based approach to the healing and empowerment of survivors of traumatic violence. The approach is facilitated by survivors themselves who have been trained and supervised in the methodology. We use the metaphor of the tree to provide a framework for understanding the trauma experience and, through a series of guided processes, help the survivor to an appreciation of his or her strengths and the support of family and community in surviving.

It is a proven, para-professional, culturally appropriate and cost-effective method of providing psychosocial assistance, breaking patterns of isolation and rebuilding a sense of belonging. We work at the interface between isolation, fear and polarization on the one side, and renewed social activity and community development on the other side. Work is very much team based and in the field, in 4 categories of inter-related activities:

* Healing and empowerment workshops for survivors of trauma, with referrals where necessary to specialist care;
* Healing and empowerment workshops for members and beneficiaries of partner organizations, and training partner organizations and communities to be able to provide their own workshops;
* Occasional back-up support to communities in their post-workshop activities;
* Documentation and research, for improving processes and activities, for monitoring and evaluation, and for reporting and advocacy.

A vacancy exists in our Harare based team for a Training Supervisor. Key deliveries of the successful candidate include developing and delivering a strategically focused Facilitator training programme, supporting Partners and Communities in their own healing and empowerment activities, and membership of a small, open hearted and open minded team.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Together with the team;

-    Developing and managing, implementing and monitoring, training programmes for the Tree of Life process and related, culturally competent systems of care,
-    Multiplying the process and widening a network through collaboration with other interested organizations, including the de facto mental health system,
-    Creating a cadre of trained facilitators capable of autonomously running Tree of Life processes in the community and in their organizations, and providing appropriate back-up,
-    Attention to and actions for preventing mental health problems in care givers, Attention to and actions for assessment, referrals, outcomes follow-up and monitoring, and participation in research and advocacy generally,
-    Ensuring records and statistics for effective case management, receiving reports from partners, and writing reports.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have
-    Excellent interpersonal skills, a team builder and team player,
-    At least 7 years working experience in facilitation, training, and counseling including trauma counseling,
-    A track record in building partnerships and networks between communities, policy makers and interested organizations,
-    Excellent spoken and written and presentation skills in English and Shona, and good computer skills,
-    A degree level qualification in training,
-    A degree level qualification in counseling, in Psychology, in Psychotherapy or Mental Health Nursing.
-    A clean driver’s license and a willingness to spend time away from home.
-    The highest ethical standards and a willingness to accept and contribute to Tree of Life values.

To Apply email, with Training Supervisor in the subject line, your application letter and full CV, with at least 2 contactable referees to The Coordinator at wildcahi [at] zol [dot] co [dot] zw

Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Deadline is 15 January 2011, and interviews will be conducted in the week starting 17 January 2011.

Zimbabwe Programme Manager: Mildmay
Deadline: 21 January 2011

Mildmay is a not for profit organization providing care and treatment for people living with HIV+AIDS. Mildmay is a Christian foundation. The challenge for providing responsive high level models of care and enhancing healthcare systems in the countries we operate has never been greater. Come and join a committed and experienced team.

Mildmay International currently has a 3-year grant by the European Union entitled ‘Building and Strengthening the capacity of Community Support Network to Care and Support Children with HIV and AIDS and OVCs in Zimbabwe’. We are looking for a Mildmay Zimbabwe Programme Manager to be based in Harare, with field work currently in Mat-South, to provide leadership in implementing this project, providing appropriate project management oversight and ensuring the required compliance and reporting to the EU is achieved. In addition, the person will represent Mildmay and explore scaling up Mildmay’s overall programmatic exposure in Zimbabwe.

The candidate must demonstrate an active commitment to Mildmay’s Christian ethos and charity Vision.

To access the detailed job description, person specification and download an application form, please visit Mildmay’s website

Please note CVs will NOT be accepted. All correspondence will be dealt with by EMAIL ONLY.

Interviews will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, on the 31st January 2011.

Qualified candidates living with HIV and AIDS are particularly encouraged to apply.

Project Director: International Rescue Committee
Deadline: 21st January 2011
Location: Harare

IRC Zimbabwe requires a Project Director to oversee all aspects of the Zimbabwe Results Based Financing Project funded by the World Bank. The Project Director will supervise a team of six staff and will report to the Country Director and will be based in Harare with frequent travel to project sites.

Job Responsibilities:
-    Provide leadership and direction, define and implement activities to achieve the greatest impact.
-    Prepare strategic plans and manage the overall project by planning, monitoring and evaluating project activities in accordance with the cooperative agreement.
-    Manage associate partners and ensure coordinated inputs and technical/managerial quality.
-    Oversee the establishment of a performance based fund which provides grants to health facilities;.
-    Oversee the disbursement of sub-grants to health facilities communities.
-    Provide financial and technical management to ensure the best use of resources by preparing sound budgets, monitoring project expenses and ensuring timely submission of financial reports.
-    Oversee the establishment of a district level RBF steering committee in each participating district.
-    Oversee procurement assistance to health facilities in the purchase of items financed by RBF funds.
-    Report to WB and MoHCW through both formal and informal debriefings and quarterly reports.
-    Maintain an on-going dialogue with the WB representatives and respond timely to inquiries.
-    Manage a solid cooperation with the MoHCW, Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) board of trustees, associate organizations, provincial and district level governments, donors and the international community.
-    Manage external relations by representing the project and the organization in the public and ensuring the distribution of information about project achievements and lessons learned.
-    Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility and show initiative.

Qualifications:
-    MBA, Public Administration, MPH
-    Experience in performance purchasing and/or result based financing
-    Experience and expertise managing WB grants and/or sub-grants, with strong knowledge of relevant WB regulations and practices
-    Experience with trust fund oversight
-    Financial management and accounting skills with demonstrated success managing USAID funds
-    Planning and organizational skills that ensure efficient and effective grants and finance management
-    Experience in decentralization and governance, health financing, health policy and planning, health systems management, program evaluations, operations, budgeting, human resource policy and management, and project planning and implementation
-    Experience in developing country setting, preferably Africa

Qualified and interested candidates should send their detailed CVs and cover letters to Zimbabwe [at] theirc [dot] org not later than 21st January 2011 and write PROJECT DIRECTOR in the subject line.

Traffic police overstep the mark?

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Thursday, January 13th, 2011 by Bev Clark

From Bulawayo Agenda . . .

Traffic police in Bulawayo and commuter omnibus crews are in an undeclared war. The police are reportedly harassing commuter omnibus crews because one of the Imot’ etshontshimali (BMW) was stoned in Makokoba yesterday. Police went on to blockade the Egodini terminus under the impression that they are searching for the culprits. This led to commuters facing transport woes with workers and school children reporting late for duties. Traffic police have been fleecing commuter omnibus operators since acquiring BMWs in early December 2010. The cheapest ticket is reportedly in the range of US$80.

SMS reminders double HIV testing

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Thursday, January 13th, 2011 by Bev Clark

“Short text messages can be used to increase HIV awareness and double the number of people who go for HIV testing, a survey has stated. According to the results of a survey conducted by Text to change, an SMS quiz and reminder sent to respondents led to an increase in the number of people who went for HIV testing.” More

New Year Message from Chairman of Zimbabwe Power Company

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Monday, January 10th, 2011 by Bev Clark

Information on the power situation in Zimbabwe:

1700 hours  8th January 2011

I address this message to users of electricity in Zimbabwe and all other stakeholders who may be interested.

Recent Status of Generation in Zimbabwe
Over the Christmas period the country experienced a much improved availability of power. All six units at Kariba were working as were five of six units at Hwange and Munyati Power Station was generating between 20 and 40 MW. In addition, with much of industry taking a well deserved break, there was additional power on the grid for those customers on line.

Shortly after Christmas one of the, larger, units at Hwange was lost due to failure of certain components. On the 28th of December we had to take out a unit at Kariba for two weeks of routine maintenance. On the night of the 5th January we had to take out a second unit at Kariba which twins with the unit already under maintenance. These two units share a transformer on which components had to be replaced – this was planned for this period.

In summary customers will be experiencing excessive load-shedding in contrast to  the Christmas period, as  there has now been a sharp drop in generation just as industry is coming back to work.

Looking ahead over the next two weeks. Every effort is being made to bring the unit lost at Hwange back to service during this weekend. The fifth unit at Kariba should be on the grid on Monday with the sixth returning to service by mid-January.  This should bring the country back to a “normal load-shedding regime” by the middle of the month.

Looking ahead this year
It is important to advise customers of the realities at Hwange Power Station. The supply out of Hwange remains fragile in spite of significant progress having been made to stabilise supply during 2010. We still need to undertake major works on: the raw water supply line from the Zambezi River, work on the two large raw-water reservoirs at the station is underway; urgent and significant work will be undertaken during the first quarter of this year on the Ash disposal system (a new specialised pipeline has been ordered and is under manufacture).  Further to this, the units themselves at the station need ongoing work to optimise their output. To assist us with this “project related work” as well as to train and mentor staff at the station we have engaged a blended team from India and Zimbabwe under the management of WAPCOS – a highly respected Indian-based organisation in the energy field. This team will be on-station early in February. We are optimistic that there will be a consistency in supply out of Hwange Power Station by the end of the first quarter 2011 followed by a gradual increase through the year.

Kariba Power Station should remain at full capacity except for the isolated occasion when the station is forced into “sudden shut-down” due to exogenous shocks which can occur on the grid – these can emanate from the region or sudden failure of local transmission lines.

All three Small Thermal stations (Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo) will be brought back into service during the first quarter of this year. The cost of generation from these stations is high due to both the distance from the coal fields and, in some cases, the need to use higher quality coal. As a consequence power from these stations can only be sold to those companies who have dedicated power lines and who are willing, and able, to pay the higher tariff. However this additional power will help boost the economy and create additional employment in the process.

Beyond 2011
It is important to note that once we have achieved stability in supply and optimised our present installed-capacity the supply of electricity will still remain below demand. Ongoing efforts are being made to increase the importation of additional power from the region by our sister company, ZETDC. But there is a regional scarcity. In addition our economy will grow and hence demand for electricity. The only way to close this demand-supply gap is to build extra generation capacity, which will take at least three and a half years from the time funding has been secured.

ZPC’s planning and preparation are well advanced such that its can approach relevant investors and/or partners in pursuit of adding capacity at Hwange Power Station (top priority as a  “base-load” station) and Kariba (to add to “peaking demand”). We have the full and emphatic support of our ultimate shareholder to secure investment for the generation sector. In addition we plan, over the next two years, to retrofit the Small Thermals in a bid to increase the energy sent out and lower the costs.

In Closing
I take the opportunity to thank the entire staff of ZPC for their commitment, hard and long hours of work during 2010 – most often with constrained resources. Particular gratitude is extended to those who worked over the Festive Season – day and night. I also extend a note of thanks to our Ministry for their candid, progressive and demanding support.

I thank all our customers for your patience and understanding. I encourage you all to keep paying for the units of electricity that you use. In addition please could we all take all possible measures to reduce our usage – it is good for your pocket and for the Nation.

Best Wishes The Board and management of ZPC are determined to stabalise and increase the generation levels in 2011 to well above those levels achieved in 2010.

I wish you all, users of electricity and the staff of ZESA as a whole, a safe and fulfilled 2011.

R. Maasdorp Chairman ZPC     (chairmanZPC ( @) gmail.com)

Only relevant and constructive emails will be replied to from this address.
All other queries should be directed to the Zesa email address of: pr ( @ ) zesa.net
For daily updates on the generation and load-shedding status visit the home page of www.zesa.co.zw