Zimbabweans Taking the Bull by its Horns

Sebenzela-Shandira, ZDDT’s flagship programme, has instilled pride and the spirit of self-help in Bulawayo’s township people and may not be noticed until one pays a visit to the sites where the Trust has elevated the well-being of the communities.

Above: Kirimuva Nutritional garden beneficiaries captured in their project. Picture By Chrispen Tabvura

After the closure of many industries in Zimbabwe’s second city, a good number people, some of whom are professionals, have become jobless and are struggling to put food on the table. The situation continues to deteriorate as each month goes by, as residents strive to earn a decent living.

As the saying goes, ‘educate a chief, and you will have educated the entire tribe.’ The Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust took the initiative to ignite the spirit of development by moulding community leaders, the Councillors, who would inspire their constituents to act to save themselves.

The Trust’s training programmes have taught elected leaders progressive leadership skills that have created an umbrella of peace and unity, the springboard for progress.

By educating the Councillors, ZDDT has, in this scenario, accomplished the moulding of a sizeable proportion of the city’s leadership which has, in turn, instilled these same values within the community structures.

These new values have become the foundation of building a better community, through the practice of pushing aside disunity and replacing it with a common purpose.

The process of moulding good leaders, a top down approach, has brought modest progress to Bulawayo at grass roots level, which is also being realised by the way of the projects that have been established.

Above: Ward 9's Councillor Charles Moyo and his Community Action Team Leader Moses Dube, in their Mpopoma Office. Picture By Chrispen Tabvura

ZDDT has been motivating the enthusiasm for self-help activities that has seen the establishment of Community Action Teams made up of locals with leadership credentials. They, in turn, have taken ownership of their areas, thereby developing the essence of responsibility for their dwellings and surroundings and the well-being of neighbourhoods.

A manifestation of this, is the nutritional gardens that have been established across the city. These garden groups have also expressed their commitment to a better life for all by involving a good number of orphans and elderly, realising the strength of taking ownership and responsibility, an initiative of Sebenzela-Shandira Zimbabwe’s ideology.

The introduction of awards and certificates of merits from the Trust, has also ignited competition amongst Councillors and spurred enthusiasm as they strive to claim ZDDT’s prestigious silverware to adorn their homes and offices.

Three nutritional gardens, Kirimuva, Luveve Old People Garden and Ward 27 are some of the success stories to date whilst there is much excitement about a new concept in ownership as it unfolds at Sizinda where about 100 families will benefit under the auspices of a trust of their own.

These, and many more to come, are a sign of how ZDDT is taking head on, the challenges facing the struggling residents of Bulawayo.