Eli ran up the path at 7.30 this morning
eyes lit with enthusiasm and anticipation

‘Gee-tar!  where’s your ‘puter Gogo?’

He sits at the table outside
(patient of my fumbling relationship with computers)
and watches/listens to Grandpa Elliot singing ‘Stand by Me’

Mellow-honeyed tones of the Blues float into the garden

Every fiber of his being in focused attention
each change in tone noted
each new instrument named
‘Saxophone! Washboard!  Gee –tar! Cello! Gee-tar with no hole! ‘lectric gee-tar Gogo!’

Oh to see with such fresh eyes!
to hear with such two and a half year old newness
such unpolluted pleasure

I woke this morning with tired eyes
clouded by old stories and repeated patterns

brought into the present
through the clear eyes of my grandson
as the sun washes a blessing into the morning garden
and the new flush of scarlet flowers is no longer last year’s repeat
but this year’s miracle

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Centre Director: Legal Resources Foundation
Deadline: 20 September 2013 (close of business)

Due to an internal promotion, the Legal Resources Foundation, a local legal services NGO, invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced persons for the post of Centre Director based at Masvingo.

Duties and responsibilities
-Administering the programmes and activities of the Centre
- Supervision and management of Centre staff
-Preparation of regular reports on Centre activities
-Engaging in fundraising, including drawing up funding proposals and budgeting

Qualifications and experience
-Applicants must be registered legal practitioners with at least five years’ post-registration experience
-Background in civil society, particularly a legal services NGO, and computer literacy will be great advantages
-Applicants must be self-motivated and have a demonstrable ability to lead a team, and to work with minimal supervision.

To apply
Applications, accompanied by comprehensive curriculum vitae, should be sent to: The National Director P. O. Box 918 Harare

Or they can be sent by email to: pa [at] lrf [dot] co [dot] zw

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.  Only short listed candidates will be responded to.

I spent the weekend (and Friday and Monday) with the Mountain Club of Zimbabwe in The Corner. No, it is not a bad place, or a place for bad boys. It is stunning, especially this time of year as the Musasas are out (and the other two Brachystigias and the Julbernardia – Miombo woodland!) it is the north end of the Chimanimanis. Chimanimani Mountains, north of Chimanimani town, but a separate National Park. A corner of Zimbabwe that sticks into Mozambique. If you walk any direction but West, you will be in Mozambique in less than 8 km. (And I think we did some border jumping a couple of times!)

It is a wonderful place. It is awesome! But the road there is a bit… sub-optimal. Maybe track is a better word? There is an ablution block, boiler for hot water,  and a camp site with about 8 braai stands. Beside one stream. And over the ridge, 350 meters, is another stream, waterfall, pool to swim in, trees to sleep under, aloes and succulents all over. Very rich.

So how come, aside from the access being ‘bad’, the ablution block does not work? There is no water? There really is nothing there, that was not there 30 years before. And His Excellency the President is sharing World Tourism ambassador status with Michael Sata next door. There is talk of Disney World at Vic. Falls.

Opportunities and investments!

And yet, Zimbabwean tourism is only for foreigners, who can fly in and fly out, afford the rates, stay in the fancy hotels, gamble, buy curios, and be tourists. There is no tourism for Zimbabweans. We are not allowed, or encouraged, to go see and enjoy our country – the most beautiful one in the world. If you do not have a 4 wheel drive to allow you to get down the road to The Corner. You are not encouraged to scramble together minimum resources, (mattress, blankets, food you would eat at home) and pay $5 a night for camping fee, and have home comforts. What we paid for the weekend (there was a big group) would go a long ways towards maintaining the facility there that would encourage Zimbabweans to visit, easily, beautiful Zimbabwe.

Why is Zimbabwean Tourism only aimed at ‘high end’ ‘big bucks’ foreign tourists? Where they bus in the wildlife to make an impression? Is it really tourism, aimed at promoting Zimbabwe? Aimed at Zimbabweans? Aimed at being a proud Zimbabwean? Or is it really about making money for select, connected, individuals. To ‘make it’ in the short term, and let their children grapple with the long term. Private vice equals public virtue – the capitalist mantra. Are we so utterly Capitalist, or is there still some Socialist in the government somewhere?

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Project Coordinator: Oxfam
Deadline: 13 September 2013

Reference Number: INT6500
Grade: C2
Operating Base: Harare

Type of contract: Fixed term one (1) year

- You will Co-ordinate and manage the Oxfam GB component of the Joint Initiative Urban Poverty Reduction Programme to promote, improve and protect sustainable livelihoods for urban and peri-urban communities through effective response and information coordination.
- Candidates will have a Masters degree in a relevant discipline preferably agriculture, development sociology, humanities or substantial experience. Candidates will also have substantial knowledge of operational environment in terms of its political, economic and social trends plus a good understanding of the key development and humanitarian issues in the region with at least 5 years’ proven experience of the programme development including disaster risk reduction and humanitarian work especially in an urban context.

To apply
To find out more about this role and to apply visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote reference INT6500. This position is open for both internal and external candidates.

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

Project Officer
Deadline: 13 September 2013

Reference Number: INT6497
Grade: D2
Operation Base: Harare
Type of contract: Fixed term one (1) year

- You will assist and help capacity build communities, partner organisations and local institutions to manage a full range of public health promotion activities. Must have good understanding of the key urban food security issues, preferably food voucher distributions and gardening activities.
- Candidates will have relevant academic qualifications in any discipline relating to public and/or environmental health, social work and community development. Good knowledge of and significant experience in health promotion and management, social work and community development, particularly relating to poor rural and urban communities, with at least 2 years’ practical experience in public health promotion is also required.

To apply
To find out more about this role and to apply online, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote reference INT6497. This position is open for both internal and external candidates.

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

Two (2) Drivers
Deadline: 13 September 2013

Grade: F1
Operating Base: Harare and Plumtree
Type of contract Harare: Fixed term one (1) year
Type of contract Plumtree: Fixed term one (1) year three (3) months

Oxfam purpose
To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering

Country purpose
To significantly reduce poverty, inequality and suffering amongst the poor and marginalised in Zimbabwe, Oxfam will, by working primarily through Partners, focus on:
- Meeting humanitarian needs
- Strengthening local capacities
- Enabling communities

In addition to developing and supporting the strategic and operational capacity of our Partners, we will build alliances and knowledge networks, undertake research and analysis to inform decision making and influence local and global policy makers to facilitate and leverage change.

Team purpose
To provide a professional, business focused finance, logistics and administrative management service, delivering a proactive solutions based approach for resolving issues and ensuring that the operational business requirements are effectively managed to deliver organisational results, which are focused on developing capacity and expertise in partner organisations.

Job purpose
To drive Oxfam vehicles in a responsible manner ensuring the safety of both the passengers and the vehicles and to perform a variety of associated tasks delivering a superior level of service and support.

To apply
Interested candidates, kindly forward your application letter and CV to hrzim [at] oxfam [dot] org [dot] uk

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

An estimated figure of 2.2 million people face food insecurity in Zimbabwe. Weather conditions and unavailability of inputs are squarely blamed for this looming disaster. In a nation where almost everyone is now a farmer it’s a sad development to hear reports of imminent starvation whilst tobacco auction floors record high yields of the crop. Funny how our farmers are now opting to invest all their inputs to grow cash crops like tobacco leaving out cereals which make up our staple diet. We can blame inputs and weather for causing hunger to our nation but the fact is simple farming is a business. No farmer is willing to invest in maize when s/he knows that the paycheck will come the next farming season when prices of all inputs have gone up. Late payments and very low producer prices have left farmers with no option but to go for a kill in the golden leaf. Some are now venturing in horticulture where short season crops with a ready market bring in quick returns. Almost every year the nation is now stretching its begging bowl to neighbors to avert starvation on the backdrop of the much-hailed agrarian reform.