So pleased I got out to Njelele Art Station for the opening of Afropolicity on Saturday. There was some brave, inspiring art on display, and it’s fantastic to see this corner of Harare’s CBD transformed into a vibrant, colourful art space.

Check out some photographs from the opening here

And do yourself a favour – Get down to Njelele soonest!

His Excellency, by Gareth Nyandoro – Currently on display at Njelele

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Senior Communications Programme Officer: NANGO
Deadline: 30 October 2013

Vacancy Notice: 2013/04CU
Duty Station: Harare, Zimbabwe
Organizational Unit: Directorate
Classification: Officer
Type of Appointment: Fixed-term, with possibility of extension
Estimated starting Date: 20 Nov 2013

General functions
Under the direct supervision of the Directorate in Harare, and in coordination with relevant units at NANGO Headquarters and Regional offices, the successful candidate will work with management for the implementation of the NANGO Communication and Engagement Strategy.

The selected candidate will be expected to work on the full-time basis during the assigned period. In particular he/she will:

-Development and implementation of a NANGO Communications Strategy based on the existing Association’s information and communications policy; providing continuous feedback on the performance of the Strategy
-Providing timely information to the Executive Director and Management Committee for management decision making
-Maintain a continuous dialogue and ensure the internal information flow between the different NANGO-units (Executive Director, programs department, regional offices etc.) in order to harmonize communication activities
-Research about NANGO’s stakeholders and their needs in order to maximize the impact of NANGO’s communication’s
-Facilitate the creation and strengthening of the NANGO Corporate identity (including the Corporate Image) through different measures. The NANGO brand has to be strengthened through the development of appropriate mechanisms (NANGO House Style and Editorial policy)
-Support of current communication platforms: The homepage, Social Network Profiles, etc – Developing ways of creating synergies for knowledge sharing between NANGO departments, Regions and also with members
-Enhancement of visibility and information sharing about all NANGO projects
-Managing content development and maintenance of the Association’s website
-Maintaining media relations through press releases, press conferences, media packages and other measures
-Facilitating the development of advocacy strategies and measures
-Building the capacity of staff and members in communications and media relations
-Organise and manage the NGO Expo as well as other exhibitions
-Publish the CSO magazine and promotional materials
-Publishing the NGO directory
-Editing the Zimbabwe Development Journal
-Developing a communication monitoring and evaluation plan
-Planning and implementation of innovative measures in order to ensure the future self-sustainability of the Unit: Examples are a printing unit at NANGO or the CSO magazine offering chances for income
-Perform any other duties as NANGO may reasonably require commensurate with the post-holder’s abilities and responsibilities

Desired qualifications

Education
The incumbent should possess a Master’s degree in Media, Communication Studies
and/or Journalism

Skills and experience
Substantial work experience of several years in the field of Public Relations; Practical journalistic experience within Media Houses, as Freelancer etc; Working practice in the development context, preferable within NGOs; Strong “story-telling”-skills: Writing of articles, press releases, reports, etc.; Social Media Skills: Facebook, Twitter, Blogging etc; Experience in the administering of Websites; Graphic Design skills with regards to the digital production of newsletters, brochures, magazines etc; Good computer skills e.g. Word for Windows, Excel, PowerPoint; Strong Networking skills according to different groups of stakeholder; High degree of cooperation ability with regards to the NANGO programmes and the regional offices; Previous experience of working with and through partners; Ability to establish good rapport with partner organizations and donors like UN or international NGOs; Ability to manage more than one project at various stages of completion; Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines, resistance against stress; Strong presentation and facilitation skills; Experience in supervising, guiding and training people, individually or in groups; Ability to work in a multicultural environment; Ability to work effectively with limited supervision; Possess experience and training for analytical and research skills; Sound knowledge of the human developmental needs in Zimbabwe; Demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of marginalized populations

Languages: Thorough knowledge of English. Knowledge of both Shona and Ndebele is an advantage

Method of application
All applications should be addressed to: machinda [at] nango [dot] org.zw and copy cephas [at] nango [dot] org [dot] zw as well as bastian.beege [at] giz [dot] de or posted to the CEO, 5 Meredith Drive, Eastlea, quoting the above vacancy notice number.

Some people become activists through passion while some find themselves on the streets because they are just tired of getting screwed by the system. When Martin Luther King took to the streets he wanted to share his dream of a society where race was not an issue. The general socio-economic and political conditions we now live in demand action and solutions to our day to day needs. Every time we turn on news channels its about protests and uprisings as more and more people continue to demand solutions to contemporary problems affecting them.

South Africa was recently dubbed “the protest capital of the world” as the streets have become permanent homes for activists. Living in a world faced with a lot of injustice and inequality mainly driven by greed, profiteering and ignorance, calls for a collective effort from everybody. Activism is about affecting social change and championing a cause whether big or small. Small things like a change of mindset won’t even require government or big donor funding for a start and that’s the reason why we often read about the great works by Wangari Mathaai of Kenya who managed to share knowledge on environment conservation with rural communities. A young girl from Pakistan almost lost her life because she wanted other young girls in her country to have access to education. Even the young school children of South Africa became active in 1979 demanding better education. Artists as role models for the young generation have also become heavily involved in activism especially towards raising awareness on behavior change targeting drug abuse and safe sex.

Activism comes with its own challenges with many activists the world over being persecuted for championing people’s rights. Zimbabwe is one such country where activists and social movement groups have been labeled enemies of the state. A crack down on dissenting voices has resulted in many people shying away from being active in the community on issues that affect them due to fear.

One of Zimbabwe’s aspiring activists Wadzanai Motsi was awarded the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and she conducted research on youth’s contributions to activism. At a Food for Thought session hosted by US Embassy Public Affairs section, Wadzanai and Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa shared their experiences on various forms of activism and the different ways each person can contribute to make the society we live in a better place.

Sociologist/movement theorist, Zeynep Tufekci, suggests we stop looking so much at outputs of social media fueled protests and start looking instead at their role in capacity building. More on Ethan Zuckerman’s blog

There’s a level of totalitarianism that pinches my nerves that is clearly visible in Zimbabwe. The people are always stuffed under the heavy hand of the despot either in the guise of ‘home grown solutions’ or ‘catching up with international standards’. Whenever the government wants to suck money out of us they do it to catch up with international trends.

Good examples are the introduction of toll gates, increasing toll fees, debates about urban tolls, spot fines, increasing import taxes and levies, new police and ministers’ vehicles, etc. International standards are unceremoniously dumped whenever issues of accountability and good governance are brought up and replaced by ‘home grown remedies’, which in most cases have only looked well crafted on paper but void in implementation.

They work these things like magicians in our eyes; most of the time we fail to connect the two dots in the line in the use of the terms from the start of the con plan to steal money from us to the point where we want the result and details of expenditure. A good but sad example is the toll fees which were forcibly introduced on our roads to catch up with regional and international trends and without fail, every motorist is paying but the amount of potholes on our highways by far do not reflect the tremendous amounts of money that is being collected in toll fees everyday.

Interestingly the government is still working ‘flat out’ to craft ‘home grown solutions’ that will insure that the system is water tight and any corruption be brought to book. Others who have tried to question the accountability of the government and police over toll fees and spot fines have been labeled western puppets whose agenda is to serve their western masters and to push for a regime change in our country. Anyone who asks questions about the diamond revenues (including the former Finance Minister, Biti), Zupco unfair operations, civil service inflated wage bills and unfair distributions of farming, energy, water and security resources etc, has been placed in this neocolonialists puppet bracket.

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Gender Based Violence Coordinator: World Education Inc./Bantwana (WEI/B) Zimbabwe
Deadline: 30 October 2013

Based in Harare, Fixed Term contract

World Education Inc./Bantwana (WEI/B) Zimbabwe is an INGO that has been working in Zimbabwe since 2008 dedicated to improving the lives of the poor through economic and social development programmes. It provides training and technical assistance in non-formal education for adults and children with special emphasis on income generation, small enterprise development, literacy, education for the workplace, environmental education, reproductive health, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS education and refugee orientation. Projects are designed to contribute to individual growth as well as to community and national development.

World Education Inc./Bantwana, with support from USAID is implementing a national Gender based Violence programme that seeks to reduce incidence of gender based violence and enhance access to services for survivors. To that end World Education Inc./Bantwana is recruiting to fill in the following key position:

Purpose of position
Reporting to the Child Protection Manager the GBV Coordinator will develop and lead the implementation of a technically sound, well mainstreamed gender based violence prevention and response strategy on behalf of WEI and its partner organizations.

Major responsibilities
-Design, manage, plan and coordinate programme activities on gender based violence
-Provide technical support and grants management for WEI mainstream and GBV partners
-Conduct capacity building workshops in communities on gender and child abuse
-Coordinate Gender mainstreaming issues for WEI and its partners
-Develop proposals, budgets, and work plans for gender based violence programmes
-Analyse and monitor trends, opportunities and challenges in Gender based violence
-Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with key GBV stakeholders
-Provide recommendations and strategic advice to the Child Protection Manager and Country Director
-Work closely with colleagues in other departments to identify promising practices and strategic opportunities for enhancing gender equality and ending violence against women, adolescents and children

Administrative responsibilities
-Write quarterly, monthly, annual progress reports
-Use partner feedback and reports to consolidate GBV reports
-Network and represent WEI at various child protection and GBV forums/stakeholders meetings
-Support and monitor partners/consultants on delivery based contracts
-Programmatic budget tracking

Qualifications and education requirements
-Advanced degree Social Work or any Social Sciences similar qualification. Specialized studies in gender a distinct asset
-5 years of professional experience in a similar role
-Proven experience in the design, implementation and management of GBV programs
-Experience in working with different stakeholders, preferably including experience in leading coordination efforts
-Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
-Ability to work independently, take initiatives and leadership
-Proven ability to develop and maintain partnerships

To apply
Interested candidates should submit their application letter and detailed CV, clearly stating the position being applied for in the subject section of the email or envelope. Please enclose copies of relevant certificates and give names and contact details of 3 referees. Applications should be submitted to: recruitment [at] worlded [dot] co [dot] zw

Or

Human Resources Department
World Education Inc. / Bantwana
29 Lawson Avenue
Milton Park
Harare.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Two (2) Monitoring & Evaluation Officers: World Education Inc./Bantwana (WEI/B) Zimbabwe
Deadline: 30 October 2013

Locations: Harare and Bulawayo

Fixed Term contract 1 year

World Education Inc./Bantwana (WEI/B) Zimbabwe is an INGO that has been working in Zimbabwe since 2008 dedicated to improving the lives of the poor through economic and social development programmes. It provides training and technical assistance in non-formal education for adults and children with special emphasis on income generation, small enterprise development, literacy, education for the workplace, environmental education, reproductive health, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS education and refugee orientation. Projects are designed to contribute to individual growth as well as to community and national development.

Purpose of position
To provide technical expertise in the implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting of activities of WEI projects.  The M & E Officer coordinates and manages project reporting on specific indicators and activity-related accounting Major

Responsibilities
-Provide technical expertise in Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting of activities and achievements of WEI Project
-Setup an M & E database and updating it in line with emerging developments
-Ensure data quality including data cleaning before submission to head office
-Conduct supportive supervisory visits to sub grantees to observe, monitor and provide guidance and quality feedback on the use of data and indicators
-Support and facilitate for consultants hired to carry out external assessments of the project or other research assignments
-Analyse and document all key indicators’ data, best practices and case studies of innovative OVC initiatives
-Participate in compiling quarterly performance and annual SO and KRA level results reports.

Qualifications and education requirements
-First degree plus a minimum of 3 years of substantial monitoring and evaluation experience
-Proficiency in utilization of relevant software applications
-Excellent communication, conceptual and presentation skills
-Knowledge of USAID-funded and other donor programs and practices desirable.

To apply
Interested candidates should submit their application letter and detailed CV, clearly stating the position being applied for in the subject section of the email or envelope to: recruitment [at] worlded [dot] co [dot] zw

Or

Human Resources Department
World Education Inc. / Bantwana
29 Lawson Avenue
Milton Park
Harare

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.