A report in The Chronicle recounts a startling issue of lost cadetship application forms submitted by students at Lupane State University. The spokesperson for the university said they either got lost or misplaced at their Harare offices. I find it weird for an academic office to lose a bunch of 121 three or four paged forms. Before the students are asked to re-submit these forms investigations should be done to ascertain what happened to the forms they had submitted. I have always questioned the way universities handle the cadetship application process and reading this article brought back my dark cloud over this programme. For me there was always a lack of transparency. Being an orphan I thought I made it to top ‘A’ list of those credible but alas my application was turned down.

That then programmed my mind to feel that some local universities are structuring themselves to be ‘money making’ businesses thus having fewer students on cadetship will prove more viable for their business. They would rather do away with having to wait for the government to give them the disbursements for fees for students on cadetship and have students pay their full fees directly to them. University authorities find it much easier to chase away students who haven’t paid their fees in full at the exam entrance door than to drag the government to pay its cadetship dues to them on time. Thus on the universities’ end they are never keen to get more of their students on cadetship. On the other hand you cannot blame them since the government has failed to fulfill its mandate on the cadetship programme. But then if the government lets down universities and they in turn ‘punish’ students on cadetship what is being achieved at the end of the day? Every stakeholder involved in the cadetship programme should play his or her part because if this vicious circle continues we are killing the future of the nation.

Consultancy: Translation of the Advocacy Toolkit  from English to Shona and Ndebele

Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity organization that works through and with people (volunteers) to fight global poverty.VSO has been in Zimbabwe since the 1980′s and initially its mandate was sourcing and delivering human capital to government and other institutions. VSO Zimbabwe is registered under the PVO Act of 2003(PVO 27/2010).

VSO Zimbabwe is part of an international organization that operates in more than 40 countries and has over 90 years of experience in development work. During that period, VSO International has placed over 40,000 professional volunteers into different professions globally. As a result of these efforts, over 14 million children are receiving a better education and almost five million people are accessing better quality HIV and AIDS services, and over a million disabled people are better able to enforce their rights to education and health services.

VSO is always looking for new ways to turn human energy and ingenuity into lasting change. VSO Zimbabwe has send professionals to share their skills with their local counterparts as one aspect of our vibrant National Volunteering Programme. The programme is also working towards enhancing national professional volunteerism in Zimbabwe.VSO work is demand driven. We embrace a range of development methods that allow us to provide whatever kind of help is needed most, including promoting international strategies and action, knowledge brokering and youth exchanges. We no longer exclusively recruit from the developed world as over 30 per cent of our volunteers come from within the country their nationality. VSO has just initiated a South to South fellowship programme where professionals from southern countries exchange knowledge and ideas through a 60 day exchange programme. At a global level, VSO is working very closely with the Commonwealth in promoting international learning exchange visits. (Commonwealth Fellowship Programme)

Purpose of the consultancy
VSO would like to recruit a consultant / consultancy firm / company or organization to translate the Advocacy Toolkit from English to Shona and Ndebele.

Criteria for selection
-Professional knowledge in Advocacy, Governance and law.
-Professional experience of at least 3 years in translation of community interventions material to shona and Ndebele.
-Strong analytical skills and good Shona and Ndebele writing skills.
-Experience and familiarity with communication for advocacy.
-Good appreciation of effective communication and facilitation skills, with readily available examples of translated work particularly on community interventions in Zimbabwe.
-An understanding of community interventions in Zimbabwe and interpersonal communication issues is an added advantage.

TORs for the consultancy may be requested from: peter.mutoredzanwa [at] vsoint [dot] org

Please submit applications including a proposal in a sealed envelope marked “Translation – Advocacy Toolkit” no later than 12 noon on 8 February 2013 to:
The Country Director, Voluntary service Overseas, Ref: Translation – Advocacy Toolkit, Room 14 Cambitzis Building, King George Rd, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe, P.O. Box CY 1836 Causeway, Harare; or by e-mail to peter.mutoredzanwa [at] vsoint [dot] org

Call for Applications for Behind the Scenes: British Council Zimbabwe
Deadline: 25 February 2013

British Council is running an infrastructures development program for the creative sector aimed at key staff working in (or having aspirations to work in) the relevant departments in theatre, dance, drama, festivals and arts & cultural venues. Our first module runs in March in Johannesburg, South Africa and will focus on Marketing and Audience development. This two-day training programme is designed to introduce participants to the principles and practice of developing audiences in a participative and inspiring way. The course will be fast-paced, highly interactive and designed to develop practical skills. All travel expenses, accommodation, meals and program registration will be provided by British Council.

How to Apply
-Please send letter of interest and CV to: zimbts2013@gmail.com
-Application deadline: 25 February 2013 – applications received after this date will not be considered.

This Valentine’s Day, join the One Billion Rising (OBR) Campaign which is sweeping across the world to take a stand against violence against women. Zimbabwe is rising, joining over 190 countries globally, and is calling on women – and the men who love them – to get involved in a road show event of dance and testimony.

Venue: Machipisa Shopping Centre, Highfields (Harare)
Date: Thursday 14 February 2013
Time: 11 am – 2 pm

For more information, send an an email to OBR at: obrzimbabwe [at] gmail [dot] com, or follow updates on the OBR Zimbabwe Facebook page

To find out more about OBR events globally, visit www.vday.org

It’s been merely thirty days into the New Year and a lot has happened in Zimbabwe from the bizarre stories to progress in constitution making process to death, police arrests and floods. The whole year seems to be highlighted in just a month and with eleven more months still to go one wonders what more is in store for Zimbabwe? An explosion occurred in Chitungwiza during a cleansing ceremony conducted by a traditional healer. The explosion killed people and destroyed houses. The parties to the GPA have agreed on the draft constitution by COPAC and it waits to pass through parliament. Though some slight changes have occurred in the draft constitution on matters such as presidential powers we still wonder if political parties that had made their stance on the second draft constitution, will continue to stand by their campaigns. The nation lost its vice president John Nkomo and well renowned academic and aspiring politician Professor John Makumbe. Okay Machisa director of the ZimRights was arrested on the 14th of January and was released on bail on the 28th. In some parts of the country heavy rains destroyed bridges and houses killing people. These are just a few highlights that have occurred in the space of 30 days.