To mark their 50th Anniversary of USAID on 3rd November, USAID-Zimbabwe’s  Economic Growth Office Director, Dr Tina Dooley-Jones gave a presentation entitled USAID & Zimbabwe: Past, present and future at the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, which covered the history of USAID, expanded upon the major policy and planning changes that have occurred in the organisation in the past 2 years,  outlined their 7 Global Development Priorities and explained how the organisation is currently engaged in Zimbabwe.

The organisation has been working in Zimbabwe since independence and has developed a number of different programmes and partnerships to move forward in the areas of: health, private sector development, low income housing, governance. The activities implemented in these areas have had a positive impact on the lives of many Zimbabweans. Currently USAID works in 4 areas in Zimbabwe in which the organisation has a comparative advantage in delivering development assistance and has found exceptional local partners to work locally.

Dooley  said that “Zimbabwe is and will remain important to USAID – because of developmental challenges and opportunities that exist here. With its highly educated workforce, systems, institutions and structures there is so much potential for development, the organization looks forward to deepening its engagement here and being a part of moving Zimbabwe forward.”

NGOs Humanitarian Reform Project: ActionAid Zimbabwe
Deadline: 7 November 2011 (1700 hours)

Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
To Start: Mid-November
Contract: 5 days a week for a period of one month

Purpose of The Position
ActionAid Zimbabwe seeks to engage a consultant to perform the function of country coordinator who will be responsible for the implementation of the NGOs and Humanitarian Reform Project Phase 2 in Zimbabwe, with the ultimate goal of enhancing NGO (national and international) representation, participation and leadership in humanitarian reform and other coordination forums.

Key Strategic Performance Areas
-Develop/improve structures, capacity and skills for NGOs to assume active membership and leadership functions in humanitarian reform forums have been built
-Strengthen in-country coordination mechanisms (training workshops, facilitate operational discussions on coordination and financing)
-Co-ordination with the Project Internationally
-Financial management and reporting (accurate and timely financial and narrative reports, ensure that project income is managed in a timely and appropriate manner, co-develop, closely monitor and report on country work plan and country budget expenditure)
-Networking and relationship building (engaging key stakeholders)

A detailed Job Profile and Terms of Reference will be made available to short listed candidates.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications
Relevant degree/post-graduate qualification essential.

Other Essential Requirements
-At least 4 years practical experience in humanitarian response
-Familiarity with the humanitarian reform process
-Proven understanding and experience of advocacy and policy change work within a complex humanitarian context
-Proven skills in networking and relationship building
-Strong analytical and information gathering skills
-Excellent writing and facilitation skills
-Strong communication and representational skills
-Strong budget management skills
-Ability to work alone and on one’s own initiative
-Cultural sensitivity
-Knowledge of local languages (Shona, Ndebele) will be an added advantage
-Understanding of and commitment to humanitarian principles and action
-Willingness to travel extensively, mostly within the country and spend several weeks at a time away from home

Applications: To apply submit your curriculum vitae and motivation letter to Human Resources, ActionAid International, 16 York Avenue, Newlands, Harare or jobs.zimbabwe [at] actionaid [dot] org

NB: Whilst all applicants will be assessed strictly on their individual merits, qualified women are especially encouraged to apply.

Please note: Although we value all applications, we can only respond to short listed candidates.

National Strategic planning Consultancy: White Ribbon Alliance Zimbabwe
Deadline: 14 November 2011

White Ribbon alliance Zimbabwe is seeking for a consultant to develop a national strategic plan. The person should have knowledge of reproductive health, computer skills and 5yrs experience in reproductive health programming and development of strategic plans. Interested parties to forward their CVs and an indication of fees per day to Dr Christina Mudokwenyu Rowdon. Email guruchristina [at] yahoo [dot] com

American-born, Zimbabwean actress Danai Gurira, who is conquering Hollywood and Broadway, gave a talk recently about her trajectory in the industry, her artistic principles and work ethic, how she envisions her work will shape the artistic landscape for future generations, her thoughts on the future of the Arts Industry in Zimbabwe.

Danai explained how she got into acting and writing by saying that the arts found her. While in high school she realised that when she performed, something special happened between her and an audience and she felt she would lose all sense of time and place. Encouraged by her parents to pursue what she was good at, she continued her studies in the arts, after having initially studied psychology and liberal arts. Danai started to create pieces in response to the fact that she was not finding portrayals of Africans that she wanted to play. Actors tend to be at the bottom of the food chain in the American industry, but with good training during her 2nd degree, she learnt how to create her own work and not just sit and wait by the phone. This is how her world-famous play In the Continuum was born. She was encouraged to discover that she could create things in America, about Zimbabweans, and the people in both places (and in-between) would get it. It was also quite clear that Gurira appreciates and revels in the fact that her debut performance on the world stage, was of her own work, in her own voice.

While so many of us associate the film industry with glitz, glamour and money, one quickly realises that Gurira is all about the craft and creating the best artistic products she can. From early on she has been driven by her desire to create things that are connected to what is important to her, what she is trying to give the world and what she visualises about her future artistic interests. This focused attitude has led her to be quite picky about what she gives her energy to by finding out what the spirit of the work is and if it is really giving life and a different dimension and complexity to a story.

When Gurira comes home, she holds workshops in order to transfer all that she has learnt from her time in the US. She strives to help young Zimbabwean actors know the level of work-ethic, ferocity, and energy required to succeed in the competitive industry and make people feel they have no choice but to hire you. One also has to develop a thick skin as only 2-5% of your auditions may lead to work.

Though Danai felt that it would be quite tricky to say how our country should develop the industry, which is currently not so strong, she believes that we should try to nurture standards of excellence that are specific to who we are, as a nation. Though it is tempting to follow the footsteps of African countries like Nigeria, which has a thriving film industry, she feels it would be unwise to use another country’s template. There is a need for Zimbabwean artists to continuously challenge themselves, to remain sharp in artistry, and always in pursuit of excellence. Gurira insists that excellence in the quality of work we produce, will ensure that we begin to produce work that is on a globally recognisable level, not because it caters to western ideologies or structures, but because no one can deny or ignore it’s superior quality, as artistic excellence is not bound by language and culture.

In order to achieve this Gurira says Zimbabwean artists have to be innovative and pioneering in contributing to the work that will build the industry, all the while, having in the back of their minds, a clear vision about the future artistic landscape of Zimbabwe. It is about thinking far ahead and beyond ourselves, and creating something that is so excellently executed, that it will stand the test of time, so that if someone picked it up decades from now, it will still be a brilliant piece of Zimbabwean literature, (Harvest of Thorns). When asked what she wanted her legacy to be, Danai Gurira said, “I want people to pick up my work in 100 years and be able to do it – [so that] men and women have opportunities to really shine, in African roles.”

A small update from an observer on the ongoing trial of Munyaradzi Gwisai +5:

The cross-examination of key sate witness, a state informer who claims to be Detective Sergeant Jonathan Shoko commenced today (Tuesday 1 November) at Rotten Row Court in Harare. Defence Attorney Alec Muchadehama seeks to prove the unreliability of Shoko’s evidence which was presented last week. The state is heavily depending on its informer in the trial of our comrades Munyaradzi Gwisai, Tafadzwa Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Hopewell Gumbo and others. Meanwhile the trial has been adjourned to Friday 4 November 2011.

Here’s a Kubatana subscriber’s response to Mugabe’s unacceptably large delegations when he travels overseas. Fighting talk, and fighting spirit – we need more Zimbabweans to speak out about the abuse of power.

It boggles my mind how Mugabe can travel with such a large delegation, surely there is no need for that.  How much is such a huge delegation costing the taxpayer for accommodation which must be the best, allowances, etc.  Ridiculous!!!  That money can be used to feed thousands of starving children and old people.

The trips to see the ‘eye specialist’ almost every other month is another waste of money.  We have very good eye specialists here so what is wrong with seeing one of them?

Why was his wife part of that delegation?  No, don’t answer that – SHOPPING!!!!   I’m glad she now knows what it feels like to have her visa application denied.  Also to threaten Switzerland is very childish on his part and shows how his mind works now.

My 11 year old daughter was denied a visa to visit my daughter in the UK (accompanied by me) on the grounds that she was going to look for employment there – did I threaten them although their claim was very stupid to say the least? NO!!!!

I look forward to next years elections.

Aluta Continua!!

Are you virgin? That’s none of my business, right? I mean, how dare I (or anyone for that matter), ask you that question! Well, some women are being asked that very question, by potential in-laws, by way of virginity testing. When I heard someone relate the story of what a certain woman, at the insistence of her soon-to-be fiancé’s parents, only for him to end up not marrying her (for other reasons), I was taken aback. Her virginity was a prerequisite for the marriage. Nothing was mentioned about any testing he had to undergo.

But one can understand the lure of virginal purity (especially when it comes to marriage); the idea that a woman is untouched and untainted by another, and has kept herself in this state, only for you, is a testament of the superior altitude of her morality. And being the man in possession of such freshness is beyond compare. She is the ultimate prize; the ultimate bride, and brings honour to her family, and therefore warrants an extra cow, come lobola time, called ‘chimhanda’.

Newlywed’s bed-sheets were inspected after their wedding night, as part of the marriage ceremonies of old, and bloodied sheets were celebrated as symbols of the bride’s purity. Virginity testing (checking for an intact hymen), in Zimbabwe’s history, has been seen as a way of preserving this purity in girls by preventing them from indulging in sexual activity before marriage and instilling in them, a sense of morality. I’ve heard of a Zambian girl living here in Zimbabwe who undergoes and passes regular virginity testing, who is by no means a ‘virgin’. She does EVERYTHING but… and such is essentially still a virgin, because her hymen is intact. A prospective suitor may take her to get her virginity tested, and be pleased with the results, but will he be getting the vision of purity and freshness earlier described?

“A virginity test is the practice and process of determining whether a female is a virgin – The test involves an inspection of the female’s hymen, on the assumption that her hymen can only be torn as a result of sexual testing.” Wikipedia.

The above-mentioned definition of the practice makes no mention of men. Should they not be “keeping it fresh” too, or is virginity among the many things that don’t apply to them? Boys are not expected to abstain from sex before marriage. In fact, their sexual exploits, (sometimes, including infidelity), are encouraged, or at the very least condoned. It is unfair that virginal brides-to-be can never hope for the same freshness from her partner.

What is this virginity anyway? In only focusing on the physical aspects of virginity we are missing the point. Does it not include the absence of any knowledge of sex and completely uninitiated innocence? I can assure all men out there, that there is no physical test for these qualities.