It’s a shame that with all the revenue collected through tollgate fees, vehicle licenses, abnormal load fees, and the fuel levy, our roads in Zimbabwe are still in a bad state. Along one of Harare’s major roads, Second Street Extension, which connects many suburbs and leads to Mazowe and Bindura, a ‘double’ speed limit sign exists. The speed limit sign pictured has been there for the past years. Its evident that due to the nature of high traffic on the road there was a need to increase the speed limit to 70, but seriously … writing the number 7 on top of the existing number 6 is very disturbing. This illustrates the abuse of funds. Under Kubatana’s fix.this campaign, these are the many little things we would like relevant authorities to address in our communities.

Our Tree of Life Partners circle held special significance for us this month:
We stood together in a silent circle
remembering all those people across the planet
who had endured this terrifying experience

There were over 50 of us and more eighty percent are survivors of torture

We are a diverse collection of Zimbabweans who represent rural and urban communities
the women who are the farmers, look after the children, sell the vegetables on the side of the road
community leaders and elders and officials
street-smart young city kids
youth groups
church representatives

These victims of violence are the facilitators and organizers
who now own and use these workshops in their communities

and they are held together with one intention
to bring healing and peace

We passed the stone round the circle with a question -
‘What have you seen over this last year that has inspired you?’

‘We have now had workshops with our headmen and chiefs – we no longer have to worry about security’

‘We have been commemorating UN day in Support of Torture Victims lighting candles and having prayers in churches across Harare so many people have come’

I spoke of Sehlewle, sitting next to me:

When we met 8 years ago in South Africa
she had fled Zimbabwe after being terribly tortured and beaten
the bones in her leg irredeemably broken

A frightened young woman in terrible pain
living in a foreign city cut off from her community
She came to one of our first Tree of Life workshops.
and finally got to tell  her story in a circle she felt she could trust.

Now she is back home, and still facilitating with us
Last week, with Mike, she ran a Tree of Life workshop for the first time in her home town Bulawayo
They sat in circle with the old warriors of the nation
the former freedom fighters
and helped them tell the stories they had been holding onto for over 20 years.
They said it was just wonderful
and they have been asked to come back and run more!

I sit in a circle surround by people who have not just learned to survive
they have become creators of peace in their communities.

It has been 9 long years since the first Tree of Life Circles
and we have struggled through all sorts of adversity
but now it has found its time…
something is changing and we are no longer intimidated

when we confront the fear in ourselves
and join hands across the divides of separation that have held us in isolation
we become masters of our own destiny
we begin to see ‘peace’ emerging

the work begins at home

Work in and for Zimbabwe. Help grow our nation. Check out the vacancies below. If you’d like to receive this sort of information, as well as civic and human rights updates, by email each week drop us a note saying “subscribe” to info [at] kubatana [dot] net

Please note that the job vacancies we carry are related to the NGO and civil society sectors only.

Two (2) drivers (Bulawayo): Catholic Relief Services – Zimbabwe Program
Deadline: 22 June 2012

Primary Responsibility
The CRS Driver will be available to drive members of the CRS staff and will assist the CRS’ Support Services Department in managing functions within the transportation sector when not carrying out duties relating directly to their primary driving functions

Qualifications & Experience
- 5 ‘O’ Levels plus a valid and clean Class 4 Driver’s
- Five years of professional work experience
- Previous background should include a proven ability to work diplomatically with a variety of personnel
- Ability to communicate fluently in English
- Ability to communicate fluently in Ndebele and Shona is an added advantage.

Those who meet the above criteria are invited to submit their applications together with a cover letter and detailed Curriculum Vitae that includes the names and contact details (plus e-mails addresses) of three traceable references. Applications should be clearly marked “DRIVER- BULAWAYO”.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The Country Representative, 95 Park Lane, Harare or 33A Duncan Road Suburbs Bulawayo or P.O. Box CY 1111, Causeway, Harare, or email: taurai.musakaruka [at] crs [dot] org

Social Franchise Coordinator: Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ)
Deadline: 24 June (12 noon)

12 months Fixed Term Contract

Be at the heart of an organization that’s at the heart of the community.

Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ), an affiliate of Marie Stopes International, is a market focused, result oriented non-governmental organization. We develop efficient, effective and sustainable family planning and reproductive health programmes, with particular emphasis on the lower income and disadvantaged communities in Zimbabwe. What we do makes a real difference to people’s lives, so it’s absolutely crucial that we fill our organization with passionate people. An opportunity has arisen in the following area:

The SF Coordinator will be located in the Harare, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East region, providing clinical quality assurance support to all PSZ franchisees within the designated region. Supervise franchisees to ensure the integrity of demand generation activities according to PSZ’s demand generation plan.

Responsibilities
- Facilitate a positive and professional relationship with the franchisee on behalf of PSZ
- Provide monthly supportive supervision visits to franchisees such that each franchisee is visited once a month, or maximum once in 6 weeks
- Ensure franchisees adhere to the signed MoU with PSZ
- Complete clinical audits: At least one internal audit per franchisee per year
- Ensure and support quality record keeping and correct implementation of franchisee service reporting, as well as validation of reports against in-clinic records
- Use PSZ data collection tools to gather complete information on the franchise and submit dully on time
- Manage clinical complications by informing PSZ immediately and ensuring proper documentation
- Complete a monthly report reflecting all regional activities, challenges and stories from the field (FC work activity report)
- Assist in coordinating formal franchisee trainings
- Assist in logistic support for franchisee equipment, commodities etc
- Liaise with MoH/ZNFPC officials in the region
- Coordinate with the Marketing and Communications Unit for all marketing/mobilization needs
- Identify and recommend solutions to problems in the assigned regions that interfere with franchisee quality and PSZ objectives
- Communicate regularly and proactively with the franchise manager

Outputs and deliverables
- Strong, professional relationships between PSZ and all franchisees and MoH/ZNFPC in the region
- Franchisees operate according to the MoU and to PSZ/MSI standards
- Increased CYP and SRH services amongst franchisees and achievement of forecasts in the region
- Effective oversight of demand generation
- Improved quality amongst franchisees
- 100 percent report submission
- 100 percent clinical audit submission

Qualifications
- Diploma in Nursing, preferably a Degree in Nursing Science
- Post graduate qualification preferably in project management

Experience
- At least 3 years’ senior management experience, 2 years must be in project management in an NGO
- Extensive project cycle management experience
- Family Planning Training is an added advantage
- Understanding of the issues surrounding provision of reproductive health care services internationally

If you would like to be considered for this role, please submit a covering letter and CV, outlining your experience to date, to:

The Team Development Officer
9 Bisley Circle
Belvedere, Harare

Or

Send an email to recruitment [at] pszim [dot] com quoting the job title.

Programme Analyst: UNIFEM
Deadline: 29 June 2012

The UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Country Representative, the Programme Analyst is responsible for management of the Gender Support Project (GSP). She/he provides technical competence on gender and governance issues with a holistic approach to development. The Programme Analyst analyzes political, social and economic trends and leads formulation, management and evaluation of project activities within his/her portfolio and provides policy advisory services. Through the Country Representative, the Programme Analyst provides analysis for formulation of strategies and briefings to senior management.  The Programme Analyst represents UN Women in his/her area of expertise as requested by the Country Representative.

The Programme Analyst works in close collaboration with the UN Women programme and operations teams, programme staff in other UN agencies, Sub-Regional Office staff and Government officials, technical advisers and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful delivery of the GSP.

For more information and to apply online please visit this link

Here’s some feedback from some Kubatana members about what’s happening on the ground. Maybe we need election observers Now!

I stay in Warren Park, about a week ago we had people at our doorstep who said they were checking whether we were registered to vote or not. They practically had a voters roll and they checked our names and all our names were there. I asked them whether they were from the Registrar Office, Statistics Office or any office but they said no. Finally after questioning their whereabouts they said they were sent by the Unity Government and they were people from our constituency! They said they were from the 3 political parties and their ‘Seniors’ will make a follow up after them. Do we have such people? Can anyone (or any political party) get the voters roll from the Registrar’s Office?
- from a subscriber in Warren Park, Harare

Thanks for keeping us updated. I have something that is worthy of public knowledge or public consumption. Can anything be done to improve service delivery on the ongoing voter registration exercise especialy in Chitungwiza. The staff there at Makoni seem to have been trained to frustrate people into not registering. The delays, the daily changes in their demands and the reception has done more harm than good to would be registrants. Its sad and the whole of Chitungwiza has one registration centre yet the population is big. Is there anything that can be done.
- from Obey in Chitungwiza

Lucid dreaming paraphernalia

In spite of my mound of work and my workaholic temperament, I took this past weekend off to do a Lucid Dreaming workshop at the Buddhist centre, Kagyu Samye Dzong in Harare. Out of curiosity, earlier in the week I went to listen to the introductory talk by the teacher – a young, enthusiastic guy called Charlie Morley. He’d come highly recommended by two people for whom I have high regard: Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and Rob Nairn, so it seemed foolhardy not to at the very least go and listen to him for a few hours.

Charlie’s talk was really interesting and spoke to my desire to incorporate into my life practices that build self acceptance, awareness and kindness. Many others in the large audience fell under Charlies spell and by the end of the talk a number of us signed up for the workshop.

The training ran from Saturday morning through to Sunday afternoon and included a sleep over to practice the techniques on Saturday night! About 3/4 of the group stayed for the night, and that evening the Buddhist shrine room was transformed into what looked like a refugee centre with mattresses and sleeping bags and blankets laid out around the large room. What a beautiful setting for this new learning experience. Come morning, sunlight poured through the many windows and glass panes, warming our sleepy gathering as we slowly got up and tidied our books, pens, ear plugs and other paraphernalia away.

It’s going to take some practice, but I’m looking forward to unlocking the secrets of the night!

Lucid dreamers the morning after

Request For Training Consultants: National Association Of Societies For The Care Of The Handicapped (NASCOH) WO 4/80
Deadline: 6 June 2012

NASCOH would like to invite consultants to conduct three-day workshop trainings in the following subject areas:
a. Leadership and Governance
b. Programme Management
c. Human Resources Management
d. Financial Management
e. Publicity, Fundraising and Resource Mobilisation

Training will be delivered to selected members from various Disabled Persons Organisations in the country.  Interested consultants are requested to submit their profiles highlighting their qualifications and experience in training in the respective subject area, consultation fees, and a short ½ page letter of motivation.

Submit your profiles and letters of motivation to elizabeth.nyambiri [at] nascoh [dot] co [dot] zw or liznyambiri [at] gmail [dot] com or dannygarwe [at] gmail [dot] com

Letters delivered by hand should be clearly labelled “Training Consultants Request” addressed to: The Executive Assistant, NASCOH, 93 Greendale Avenue, Greendale, Harare.