I find it disturbingly tasteless that even before we hit the half year mark, there are already complaints about the President’s traveling habits.

To make it clear, what I find tasteless isn’t the news people reporting about the First Citizen’s globetrotting, but the First Citizen’s unbridled penchant for travel despite all the criticism over the years.

And because this is the first half the year, imagine then the other half of it. Imagine the First Citizen’s carbon footprint! Talk about money to burn!

An entourage of more than 50 officials to Japan next month, we were informed today and last time in another such jaunt, we are informed the number was somewhere near 100! And the numbers that joined the First citizen to Ethiopia for the African Union commemorations?

We recall that the same President Joyce Banda who has taken our President as her mentor, has previously vowed to cut back on international travel to cushion Treasury from what she saw at the time of her swearing-in as unmitigated profligacy by her predecessor. Interesting ain’t it?

You have to feel pity for the guy holding the nation’s purse whose favourite epigram has become “we eat what we kill.” Really?

Hey! Need a job? Want to work in the NGO/development sector in Zimbabwe? Check out the job vacancies below and apply today. If you want to receive regular civic and human rights information, together with NGO job vacancies and other opportunities like scholarships by getting our regular email newsletter, please email join [at] kubatana [dot] net

Country Funding Coordinator/Institutional Funding Officer: OXFAM
Deadline: 31 May 2013

Location: Harare
Contract: 12 months

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

**NB we are re-advertising this position, those who previously applied need not to apply.

OXFAM Vision
Zimbabwean women, men and children are exercising their rights and accessing dignified sustainable livelihood opportunities within the context of a just, accountable and democratic political, legal and socio-economic environment.

Country Purpose
To significantly reduce poverty, inequality and suffering amongst the poor and marginalised people in Zimbabwe, Oxfam will work with partner organisations on:
-Strengthening local capacities
-Enabling communities and local CSOs
-Meeting humanitarian needs

In addition to developing and supporting the strategic and operational capacity its partner organisations, Oxfam will build alliances and knowledge networks, undertake research analysis to inform decision-making and influence local and global policy makers to facilitate and leverage change.

Team Purpose
-To raise funds for Oxfam’s program in Zimbabwe and effectively manage the funds
-To develop and maintain good quality and consistent relationships with donors
-To lead on contract management: To effectively support program teams to develop and plan concept papers and proposals in accordance with country strategy and donor requirements.

Job Purpose
This is a combination of 2 part time jobs both with different tasks and responsibilities
-To establish, implement and maintain the Oxfam country funding strategy including resourcing for development, humanitarian and policy/advocacy work in order to increase Oxfam income from institutional donors. This includes spotting funding opportunities, targeted donor relationship building and engaging in joint fundraising initiatives across Oxfam affiliates in Zimbabwe.
-To support directly the fundraising plans and efforts of Oxfam Novib through joint and individual funding initiatives.

To Apply
To find out more about this role and to apply online, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote ref: INT6234

Communication and Advocacy Officer: Gays and lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)
Deadline: 8 June 2013

GALZ invites applications from suitably qualified persons to fill the position of Communication and Advocacy Officer within the association. Position Description Reporting to the Director, the Communications and Advocacy Officer is responsible for creating awareness, developing and disseminating information to the general public, media, government, NGOs and other key players in the field of International development, on critical issues in LGBTI community empowerment in Zimbabwe, in the region and internationally. The Incumbent will be responsible for developing and delivery of GALZ communication, advocacy and media strategies.

Responsibilities
-Working closely with colleagues across the organization to ensure that communications and advocacy targets are met, Ensures marketing of GALZ’s work is effective to our target audiences
-Create new opportunities for partnerships and support
-Create and execute an innovative three-year strategy and annual action plan for communications and advocacy including the organisation’s annual report
-Develop LGBTI information material for different audiences. You will work across the organization to mobilise and align communications, media and advocacy activities to engage the membership, communities, society, and supporters and attract funding
-Represent GALZ at external meetings as required, acting as key liaison with Civil Society, Media, government officials, international agencies and local organisations

Qualifications
-Bachelor’s degree in Communications/Public Relations or relevant field
-Experience in communications, LGBTI rights, human rights, international relations, development or a related field
-At least four (4) years of relevant professional experience, working in communications and advocacy, media, at a national and/or international level preferably in the NGO sector
-Exposure to reporting requirements of donors
-Competence in use of digital and social media tools
-Excellent IT skills

To apply
Interested and qualified candidates who match the profile are invited to submit by email their CV and application to jobs [at] galz [dot] co

Only short listed candidates will be contacted

Yesterday, we let our subscribers know about the $36 million loan that China has extended to Zimbabwe for “projects.”

One subscriber was concerned that with the Zimbabwean economy as bad as it is, and unemployment being so high, Zimbabwe shouldn’t be taking loans – that is, how will we pay it back?

Unsurprisingly, however, given Zimbabwe’s joblessness, a number of other subscribers were curious how they might benefit from the loan for their own projects.

Some of the feedback we received includes:

• Do any one enter into the loan?
• How will the applicants be considered for these loans?
• How could i get that loan
• Are these projects open to every one of the public
• Iam interested with the China loan how do I go about it many thanks
• Messge ndaiona saka zvakamira sei  pamaprojects acho (I saw your message – So how do things stand with these projects?)
• How can i get to be consideree
• May you kindly shade more light on the loans.
• Looking for projects to help unemployed youths give advice
• How can i get a loan of $500 to start a pig project?
• Hw do i excess the youth loan

I note the Herald article about the loan says that it is for “various projects.”

Since the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, Saviour Kasukuwere, just said on Wednesday that social media helps him interact with young people ~ those at the core of his ministry, I’m asking him via this blog (which I’ll also draw his attention to via Twitter) if he can shed any light on the China loan scheme and the projects it is intended for.

Minister Kasukuwere, two questions:

1) Are there any plans to extend some of the project support the new loan from China will provide to individuals’ or communities’ income generating projects?

2) How may youths (and other Zimbabweans) looking for support in income generating projects access other government support facilities?

In pursuit of Robert F. Kennedy’s dream of a more just and peaceful world, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Europe officially launched the RFK International House of Human Rights based in Florence, Italy.  The training center is housed in the Le Murate, which used to be a former prison but recently went through some renovations. It also hosts offices for RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights’ European branch. After going through a major facelift the building still maintains its prison features as a reminder of its past history of torture and other human rights abuses. In an official opening speech by Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, she said that in pursuit of her father’s dream the Center will be a place where digital dissidents will get training from technology experts on how to use technology in promoting human rights.

Specialists from Tactical Technology Collective (TTC), Global Voices Online, OneWorld Digital Security Exchange, Witness.org, Electronic Freedom Frontier and Human Rights Watch shared their knowledge with the first group of digital activists who were selected from various countries including Zimbabwe, Mexico, Pakistan, Myanmar, Philippines and Sri Lanka. The one week training programme focused on adopting the latest technology tools in digital activism, use of social media to promote human rights and also provided a platform to share experiences with other human rights defenders. Coming from different backgrounds human rights defenders at this year’s training session were exposed to the best practices in implementing human rights work and the latest technology tools, which will help transform and overcome the day-to-day challenges of promoting human rights.