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MCC embarks on client satisfaction survey

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MCC embarks on client satisfaction survey

By Virginia Njovo

Masvingo City Council dedicated days between December 17 up to December 27 2024 for a client satisfaction survey from its stakeholders and ratepayers as a way of getting feedback.
The local authority hired Sixth Sense Consulting (Pvt) Ltd to conduct the survey that is intended to gather feedback from its clients in terms of service delivery.
Masvingo City Council Communications and Public Relations Officer Ashleigh Jinjika told TellZim News that the survey will help the council to make informed decisions so residents were urged to participate.
“The survey is being done for the improvement of service delivery as well as getting feedback on where we are lacking as a local authority.
“The survey will be conducted through door to door interviews targeting residents and ratepayers, so we encourage all stakeholders to participate in the survey and provide their valuable feedback,” said Jinjika.
The survey was however disputed by some residents saying it was a waste of money to hire a private company to do the survey which they could do on their own.
Masvingo Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the local authority should have done the survey on their own rather than hiring an external partner.
“These are deals which are meant to benefit some individuals, they could have done this themselves, only training will be required for one to conduct an interview and anyone from council could do it. This clearly shows there is someone behind who will directly benefit.
“Hiring a consultancy is expensive, it is only sucking ratepayers and residents’ money and they will later complain that the local authority doesn’t have enough money to fund crucial services in the city,” said Mtimba.

26 institutions benefit from Mayor’s Christmas Cheer

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26 institutions benefit from Mayor’s Christmas Cheer

By Rangarirai Shanyurai

Twenty-six institutions benefited from Masvingo City Mayor’s 2024 Christmas Cheer fund at an event held at the town house on December 19.
Speaking at the event, Masvingo City Deputy Mayor and Ward 5 Councillor Daniel Mberikunashe said they celebrated the community’s commitment to helping others, reflecting on how the community unites them through shared experiences.
“We are here not only to celebrate our shared commitment to uplifting those in need but also to recognize the power of generosity and compassion that resides in each one of us.
“As we embark on this journey of giving, let us take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of community. A community is more than just a collection of individuals; it is a tapestry woven together by our shared experiences, our collective challenges, and, most importantly, our willingness to support one another,” said Mberikunashe.
He said the cheer fund was a beacon of hope for several people in the community, and every dollar donated would go a long way in positively impacting people’s lives.
“The Mayor’s Cheer Fund serves as a beacon of hope for many families and individuals in our community. It provides essential resources to those who are struggling, whether it be through food assistance, educational programs, or emergency support. Every dollar donated will go directly towards making a significant impact in the lives of those who need it the most,” said Mberikunashe.
He encouraged continuous support for the Mayor’s Cheer Fund to help neighbors thrive and foster a lasting culture of giving.
“Your contributions, no matter how big or small, are vital in ensuring that our community remains strong and resilient. Together, we can help our neighbors overcome challenges, provide for their families, and foster an environment where everyone can thrive. We wish that everyone tells the next person that it is necessary to donate towards the event.
“Let’s also remember that our efforts do not end with a single donation. They are a call to action, inspiring us to continue spreading kindness and support throughout the year. I urge you to share the message of the Mayor’s Cheer Fund with your friends, family, and colleagues. Together, we can build a culture of giving that extends far beyond today.
“The Cheer Fund is an ongoing event; we can continue to bring our donations, and they will be directed to the relevant people throughout the year,” said Mberikunashe.
Disability Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) Director Henry Chivhanga thanked those who donated towards the event and encouraged the beneficiaries to share what they got with others.
“I would like to thank the City of Masvingo, business organizations, golf participants, and members of the public for donating to the underprivileged. Those who failed to get an opportunity to deliver their items, feel free to come. I urge those who received from the cheer fund to share with others in need in their respective areas,” said Chivhanga.
Institutions that benefited from the cheer fund include Ngomahuru Hospital, Henry Murray School for the Deaf, Copota School for the Blind, Alfred Walter Hostel, Ratidzo Zimcare Trust, Alpha Cottages, Mucheke Old People’s Home, ZACH, NDPZ, National Council for Disabled Persons, Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children, Zimbabwe Association of the Visually Handicapped, M. Hugo Primary, Jairos Jiri Association, Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital, Copota Secondary School, Henry Murray School, Copota Workshops, Masvingo Provincial Hospital, Alpha, Disability Amalgamation Community Trust, Pioneer Cottage, Masvingo Wheelchair Tennis Club, Mucheke Cloakroom (squatters), two pupils from Vurombo Primary School and Mucheke High School, as well as the people who have no fixed abode—the squatters at Mucheke Bus Terminus.

Zanu PF bans Chiwenga loyalist MP Bhila

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Zanu PF bans Chiwenga loyalist MP Bhila

. . . issued with month long prohibition order for undermining ED Govt

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – Two Zanu PF Masvingo Members of Parliament (MPs) were recently slapped with prohibition orders, barring them from attending any party meetings, amid escalating factional battles within the ruling party in the province.
The prohibition orders were handed to Chiredzi North MP Roy Bhila who is the Provincial Secretary for Finance and Gutu East MP Benjamin Ganyiwa, barring them from party programmes for 21 days.
Both Bhila and Ganyiwa are believed to be loyal to the Vice President Constantino Chiwenga faction which reportedly seeks to stop President Emmerson Mnangagwa from extending his rule beyond 2028.
Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Spokesperson Pepukai Chiwewe confirmed the development, saying such orders are issued when one is accused of violating the party’s constitution, where the accused would subsequently appear before a disciplinary hearing to defend themselves.
He said the two MPs’ issues had nothing to do with the 2030 slogan or alleged factional wars but rather an indiscipline case per individual.
“I can confirm, prohibition orders were given to Chiredzi North and Gutu East MPs. The orders are not expulsion letters but just an order to compel the accused to stop participating in party programmes until they appear before a disciplinary hearing where they would defend themselves,” Chiwewe said.
Bhila was accused of violating the party constitution and is facing three counts—he is set to appear before the disciplinary committee.
“The Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Disciplinary Committee met on 12 December 2024 and resolved to issue you with a Prohibition Order, in terms of Article 36, Section 528, of the ZANU PF Party Constitution,” read part of the order.
Bhila is facing three counts, the first being of uttering statements that could bring or have potential to bring or has a consequence of bringing the name of the party and/or its leadership into disrepute.
“In your address at an open discussion hard talk meeting on service delivery and council operations of Chiredzi Town Council where you uttered that Chiredzi Town Council should revert back to its original expansion zone “kunjanji kuma sewerage kwamakapa vanhu minda yenzimbe kusina mvura.. endai munotora ikoko and leave ward 29 alone!” This behavior as a Member of Parliament is uncalled for. You should be seen embracing development but you use destructive language inciting the public against government programmes,” reads the charge.
“You intentionally insulted and threatened to destroy Mrs Mabhiza during a public meeting and her husband calling him a ‘big fool’ and “zibenzi chairo”. The party expects highest level of discipline from its members and insulting members at party meetings is uncalled for. Zanu PF embraces solidifying families of its members so the language you used on a fellow member has a negative impact to the image of the party. The language destroys families and end up discouraging members to attend party meetings,” reads the second charge.
On charge three, he was accused of insulting and denigrating another member where he and his team attacked fellow party members.
“You deliberately and intentionally sent your team to attack Cde Timothy Fozokai and damaged him. This behavior is not and will never be condoned by the party Zanu PF. You did this at a ward rally at Fever Shame in Ward 17 Chiredzi North and the case was reported to the DIO simply because the complainant respected the party, he did not report to the police but you acted as if nothing happened. As the report reached this office we were left with no option other than coming out with this charge.
“On 30 May 2024 your team went on to attack Cde W. Foromera, Ward 3 youth member at Judea Manjirenji turn off and reasonably caused damages to him.
“Therefore the prohibition order means that you shall cease acting in any or represent or hold office within the party, until the provincial capacity or Disciplinary Committee has made a determination,” read the order.
All your actions are contrary to the dictates of the Party Constitution as stated in Article 3 Section 19 (1-7),” reads part of the prohibition order.
Asked for comment Bhila acknowledged receipt of the prohibition order, saying he would follow what the party decides and will remain a loyal party member, supporting Mnangagwa and his 2030 agenda.
“I follow what the party decides, if it says go then I will go. I will remain resolute and loyal to the party, I will continue supporting the Party and the President and push for the 2030 agenda,” said Bhila.
Masvingo Province recently resolved to punish anyone who is against the ‘2030 vanenge vachipo’ slogan and recently one Zanu PF councilor Brighton Mushekwa from Bikita was verbally suspended for refusing to chant the slogan.

MP Mutodi pleads to pay $30 maintenance as ex-wife demands $1.5k

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MP Mutodi pleads to pay $30 maintenance as ex-wife demands $1.5k

By Beverly Bizeki

Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Bikita South, who is also a businessman and a lawyer, Energy Mutodi has proposed paying US$30 monthly for the upkeep of his child in court, where his ex-wife had sued him for maintainance at Masvingo Civil Courts.
Mutodi’s ex-wife had demanded that he paid US$1 500 monthly for their six-month-old child, which Mutodi argued he could not afford due to low income, but could only pay US$30.
Masvingo Magistrate Isaac Chikura however after assessing submissions from both sides ordered Mutodi, who is also into land development, to pay US$80 for child support after the child’s mother, his ex-wife, Polite Dhiyo failed to defend her request for US$1 500.
Dhiyo, who claimed that she was married to Mutodi under customary law but later divorced said the child was conceived and born during the time when they were married but Mutodi had failed to support the child financially since birth.
In his defense, Mutodi through his legal representative Collen Maboke claimed that he had a low income considering he had seven other children whom he was taking care of and one was enrolled at National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Mutodi also justified his US$30 offer stating that his monthly income averaged US$40 after deductions for the past five months against the substantial earnings claims made by Dhiyo.
He further claimed that he was married to another woman for whom he had financial obligations to fulfill hence his offer of US$30.
Mutodi also provided proof to the court that he was paying for the child’s school fees as she is enrolled in a crèche.

Kondongwe appointed ZPCS commissioner

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Kondongwe appointed ZPCS commissioner

By Perpetua Murungweni

Masvingo prominent businessman Sternly Mhande Kondongwe was appointed as the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner on December 19, 2024, by President Emmerson Munangagwa.
Kondongwe was appointed alongside five other commissioners, namely Rosemary Kanonge, Simon Madzimure, Albert Mandinika, Chipo Mandela, and Utloile Silaigwana.
Kondongwe said he was humbled by the appointment as a commissioner and would be happy to serve his nation.
“There is a population of around 16 million in Zimbabwe, and being chosen to be a commissioner means a lot, and I’m humbled. I am happy to be serving my country, and I would like to thank the President, who saw it fit to appoint me, so I will continue serving the country,” said Kondongwe.
He promised to make sure that the commission serves its purpose as mandated by the constitution and to work towards the betterment of correctional services.
“It’s a constitutional requirement that the ZPCS must have this commission, and we are mandated to oversee the operations within the correctional facilities. We don’t do the everyday operations work, but we sit as a commission, and most of our work is policy work,” said Kondongwe.
He said as a commissioner, his main focus was on the rehabilitation and reformation of inmates.
“My priority will be on the rehabilitation of inmates. I am going to make sure that those facilities are habitable, and I believe we cannot develop them all at once, but I think we need to start from somewhere. There is a need to redo all the facilities, and as the commission, we are going to make sure that our prison services will improve.
“We are going to facilitate production improvement at prison farms to have adequate food for the inmates. As a commission, we are going to promote human rights within prisons and ensure that inmates are treated with dignity,” he said.
Before his appointment, Kondongwe had been running charity programs, where he sets seven days aside every year for helping those in need, and he has in the past helped Masvingo’s Mutimurefu Prison through his ZPCS charity programs.
He served for six years as a committee member of the Provincial Committee for ZPCS. During his time on the committee, he managed to implement a number of projects, such as fisheries and farming, and lobbied for pivot irrigation at Mutimurefu.
Kondongwe is a 49-year-old business entrepreneur who runs motor vehicle services and sales in Masvingo, Bulawayo, and Gweru, Byword Logistics, Jadecon Construction and Engineering, as well as Jadecon Foods.

Female Teacher Pioneers Boxing judging

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Female Teacher Pioneers Boxing judging

By Perpetua Murungweni

In a significant milestone for women’s empowerment in sports, a female teacher from Zaka, Tambudzai Dera (40), has emerged as a pioneering force in Zimbabwe’s boxing refereeing, challenging stereotypes and inspiring change.
Dera, who teaches at Mutonhori High in Zaka, continues to inspire as she officiated at another international boxing tournament in South Africa on December 6, three months after making history in Zambia where she officiated as the only female referee.
Speaking to TellZim News, Dera said the opportunity will boost her credibility in the boxing industry and drive her career forward.
“Officiating a World Boxing Council (WBC) match this year for the second time is humbling. This opportunity will not only enhance my skills but also boost my credibility and reputation within the boxing industry, driving my career forward.
“The opportunity means the world to me as it validates my hard work and dedication, as well as expanding my horizon and broadening my perspectives in the boxing field. I am happy to be representing my country and other female judges worldwide for the second time, and this is not going to be the end,” said Dera.
Dera said apart from the international tournaments, she also got a chance to officiate a national tournament that was held in Harare.
“I am proud of the achievement that I have made so far. I got a chance to officiate three tournaments: two international and one local in February which was held in Harare,” said Dera.
Overcoming gender biases and stereotypes is still her goal, and with the support from family and friends, she is fulfilling her dreams.
“Overcoming assumptions that women can’t excel in male-dominated spheres like boxing judging is still my goal. I am going to overcome this through my performance by demonstrating my skills and impartiality through consistent and accurate judging. In this sport, I focus on sport, not gender, thus emphasizing my passion for boxing and judging, rather than my gender,” she said.
Dera was the only female referee at the tournament out of four, two South Africans and one Zambian. The tournament was WBC match between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Parents, Churches urged to openly speak about HIV with Adolescents

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Parents, Churches urged to openly speak about HIV with Adolescents

By Meditation Mposi

Parents and churches have been urged to normalize conversations about HIV, AIDS, and sex-related issues with teenagers.
This came up during a provincial symposium on connecting adolescent girls and young women for HIV prevention, organized by MyAge Trust in partnership with Development Agenda for Girls and Women in Africa (DAWA).
Apostle Ngonidzashe Mutume of the Presbyterian Church said prevention of HIV among adolescents had to be advocated for in churches, saying it was better to have healthy sinners.
“It is weird for a Pastor like me to talk about ways of preventing HIV to adolescent girls and young women in a church, but the truth is that the world has changed and parents must adapt.
“No matter how we teach our children in churches to abstain, they still go behind our backs and fornicate. Parents in churches must be taught on how time has evolved and must be open to talk about prevention measures with their children to curb HIV in order to have healthy future generations and a bright future.
“It is better to have healthy sinners than sick saints,” said Mutume.
One young woman, Nothando Nyamukangaira, who was present at the workshop concurred, saying education was supposed to start with the elders who would then cascade it to the youths.
“I think our parents need to be educated on being open to their children about HIV prevention methods. For example, in terms of condoms, a number of parents are not comfortable teaching their children how to use them.
“Parents must be open and encourage their young adolescent girls and young women to use preventive measures in order to curb HIV,” said Nyamukangaira.
Another young woman said health workers were supposed to be easy to approach if people wanted to fight the spread of HIV and AIDS.
“Nurses in hospitals must be easy to approach and they must be confidential with our information. You find out that if you go to a hospital and ask for PEP, the attitude that an adolescent gets is very uncomfortable,” she said.
Tarisai Maregere from My Age said the use of activism and theater was essential for HIV advocacy and had been working for them as an organization.
“Using art such as drama, music, poetry is essential in delivering messages among adolescent girls and young women in communities.
“There are essential keys to know when advocating for HIV prevention: knowing the targeted audiences, knowing the goal, the channels to use for the information to reach everyone, and knowing the root causes of high rates of HIV among adolescent girls and young women in communities,” said Maregere.
Yvonne Ndoga from Pangaea Zimbabwe emphasized the use of new, emerging HIV prevention methods and urged young women to embrace them.
“Adolescent girls and young women are encouraged to use biomedical (the use of medical interventions to reduce the risk of HIV transmission) HIV prevention methods to prevent the risk of HIV infection as well as by people living with HIV to prevent them from transmitting the virus to others.
“There are types of biomedical HIV prevention which are Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), Treatment as prevention (TasP). PrEP is used by people who do not have HIV before they are exposed to HIV, PEP is used by people who do not have HIV and they use it after being exposed to HIV, TasP is used by people living with HIV to prevent it from spreading to their partners.
“PrEP has types which are Oral PrEP, a pill containing antiretroviral (ARV) that can be used if one is HIV negative to prevent HIV. There is also the Dapivirine Vaginal ring (PrEP ring) which is inserted in the woman’s vagina for a full month and replaced every month.
“These biomedical methods are given for free in Hospitals and adolescent girls and women are encouraged to use them to prevent HIV,” said Ndoga.
Several other organizations, including the Ministry of Health and Child Care, ZIMACE, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Jairos Jiri Association, and the Ministry of Youth, among others, were also present.

DISABILITY EXPO IN ZIMBABWE SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED WITH DECEMBER 3

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DISABILITY EXPO IN ZIMBABWE SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED WITH DECEMBER 3

By Nicholas Aribino

Every year Zimbabwe joins other countries to celebrate the International Day of People with disabilities (PWDs) on 3 December. This year’s celebration of the International Day of People with disabilities was low key. Most people with disabilities felt that the day came and went with quiet whispers that spoke voluminously about the government’ s ambivalent attitude towards people with disabilities as nothing much was said on radio and TV to mark the importance of the day. PWDs expected the day to be pregnant with gatherings and speeches on disability and development across the breadth and width of the country. The Aids Day (1 December) that had just come before the International Day of PWDs with disabilities was awash with activities and speeches that filled in Zimbabweans on the situation regarding the evolving and fluid nature of HIV and AIDs and the expenditure of effort that has so far been injected into fighting the scourge at international, regional and national levels. On December 3, 2024, PWDs in Zimbabwe were as lonely and empty as a church on a Monday afternoon, they felt trivialised and marginalised globally, regionally and nationally because their day appeared vacuous and hollow without any solidarity messages from both state and non-state actors. It is the intent of this opinion piece to think as if there is no box and suggest that the Disability Expo that is annually held in Zimbabwe should be aligned to December 3.
The Disability Expo which is a great initiative from the Office of the President and Cabinet that deals with advisement on disability issues brings together persons and organisations of PWDs every year to raise awareness about disability. The Disability Expo attracts several different organisations of persons with disabilities where they also showcase their abilities in different areas of gifting. The President of Zimbabwe, senior government officials, International Non -governmental Organisations (INGOs) and Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs), among others have in the past attended the Disability Expos. For example, when the President of Zimbabwe attended this year’s Disability Expo in Bindura he distributed computers, butter making machines and agricultural inputs to PWDs. It would be awesome to dole out all these resources on December 3 as a way of marking the International Day for PWDS. During the Disability Expo the Disability Senators, the department of Disability Affairs and the President of Zimbabwe give speeches that chronicle government policies on disability and development, gender and disability and the vision of the country in leaving no one and no place behind. All these activities of the Disability Expo put together would be ideal to be projected on the International Day of PWDs which is 3 December of every year.
PWDs have experience multiple challenges that are a result of both internal and external barriers to active living and participation. The challenges that PWDs face daily cannot be overcome unless different facets of society challenge border protection and silo thinking. Disability is a natural meeting ground for different disciplines and to that effect, the Disability Expo in Zimbabwe brings together different organisations that meet to share evaluated experiences and the joys and sorrows of PWDs. The Disability Expo presents an opportune time to be associated with 3 December. Having the Disability Expo being held on 3 December would also be cost effective because from experience this writer has noticed that the Disability Expo enjoys technical, financial and logistical support from both the private and public sectors. Power lies in the collective, when the private and public sectors combine efforts to celebrate the Disability Expo individual and situational analysis of opportunities and challenges associated with PWDs can be shared with the view of coming up with stimulus packages for PWDs. It is fatuous to always project PWDs as consumers or recipients of goods and services and not as contributors to the production of those goods and services. Not all people with disabilities need charity. There are some people with disabilities who would just need education and training to help them ride out of poverty. Education and training promote interdependence, independence and productivity. If the Disability Expo falls on 3 December, it will solidify the position of Zimbabwe as having championed the disability cause by being the first African country to have crafted the Disabled Persons Act in 1992, rather than having the day pass by without any activities of note. Arguably, how a country cares for its citizens is demonstrated by the stimulus policies that the country has for its multiply minoritised populations. However, stimulus policies without any votes to augment the implementation matrix of such stimulus policies would be like a pig’s tail that covers nothing. Zimbabwe has done unspeakably well in coming up with policies, laws, programmes and projects that support disability, but all these efforts seem to lose their steam when it comes to funding. The Disability Expo is an excellent initiative that needs fiscal support. Going forward the Disability Expo should be married to December 3 for the purpose of leadership teaming and fixity of purpose between and among organisations of parsons with disabilities (OPDs), state and non-state actors.

GZU law student launches Moot Society of Zimbabwe

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GZU law student launches Moot Society of Zimbabwe

By Perpetua Murungweni

AGreat Zimbabwe University (GZU) law student has launched the Moot Society of Zimbabwe (MSZ), a platform designed to foster critical thinking, research, and advocacy skills among law students.
The launch was held on December 6, 2024, at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare.
The brains behind MSZ, Michelle Dliwayo, said the society is set to revolutionize the legal landscape in Zimbabwe, providing a much-needed platform for law students to hone their skills and prepare for successful careers in law, marking a new era in Zimbabwe’s moot court history.
“The MSZ aims to provide a national platform for mooting excellence and advocacy, enhancing experiential legal education through interactive learning and skills development among law students and young lawyers. It also seeks to promote collaboration and coordination among legal professionals and law students,” said Dliwayo.
She said having a national moot platform in Zimbabwe was embracing a global trend in legal education and would unite the five law universities in the country.
“We’ve always had moot societies or clubs within our universities, and it has always been every mooter’s dream to create a mooting community where we have a national platform. By launching a national moot platform, we are trying to create a legacy for future mooters and lawyers, and we are uniting five law universities under a shared vision. Most importantly, this transition elevates Zimbabwe’s profile in the global legal community.
“A national platform is not unique to Zimbabwe, so having a national platform is embracing a global trend in legal education,” she said.
Dliwayo serves as the founding president of the organization and is deputized by Aquila Moyo from the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU).
Other executive members are Pamela Zengeni from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) as secretary, Watson Tonderai Somerai from the Midlands State University (MSU) as liaison, and Cute Mbirizi from ZEGU as treasurer.
Leratho Sangarwe from Africa University serves as the disciplinarian, while Nyasha Bhuza from UZ is the projects coordinator.
The Public Relations Officer is Zoleka Nyathi from MSU, while Tariro Gladys Chisoro from GZU and Joseph Matanda from Africa University (AU) serve as Media Relations Officers.
The launch was graced by representatives from various organizations and students from across the country, including the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), Ministry of ICT, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Justice, Minister of State for Masvingo Province, and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, among others.

Score Against Poverty transforms women’s lives in Mwenezi

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Score Against Poverty transforms women’s lives in Mwenezi

By Cephas Shava

Mwenezi – Score Against Poverty, a locally based community organization, has several fruitful programmes in some of Mwenezi District’s wards that are evidently transforming the lives of women in the drought-prone, remote district.
The organization, which has footprints in the district’s six wards and is steering a successful Indigenous Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation in Zimbabwe (LINCZ), hosted a colorful event on October 29 in Mwenezi’s Sagwari area of Ward 6.
The event, hosted under the theme, “Rural women confronting the Global cost of living,” saw several Score Against Poverty beneficiaries showcase their diverse works and share their success stories with attendees.
One of Score Against Poverty’s beneficiaries, Rosemary Tambo, who hails from Chigota village in Ward 6 under Chief Chitanga, was on cloud nine as she narrated how the organization’s projects transformed their lives.
“Score Against Poverty has transformed the lives of many struggling villagers. The organization is spearheading a number of projects, including conservation farming, chicken rearing projects, and the savings and lending Scheme (Mukando), among several others here.
So far, as a group of 21 women, we organize ourselves and come up with broiler chicken rearing projects, owing to some loans we received from the organization. Right now, we are in the process of acquiring roadrunner chickens to expand our project. The community’s savings and lending scheme is proving to be a game-changer in the lives of villagers who are now able to cater for their family needs with ease,” said Tambo.
Ward 6 councillor Marvelous Chifumuro acknowledged that the organization was doing wonders in his ward and had significantly transformed the lives of struggling villagers.
“In my ward, Score Against Poverty is one of the organizations that has come at the most perfect time. Villagers had been struggling, and their livestock was dying due to drought. Villagers were equipped with skills in feed-making using available resources. The organization has also given each group US$250 to initiate projects like Mukando. Such programs are going a long way in making a difference in villagers’ lives who are being ravaged by the current drought,” said Chifumuro.
On her part, Score Against Poverty project officer Cynthia Mutsindikwa said such events were meant to create platforms for beneficiaries to showcase their potential in the face of the negative effects of climate change.
“The community-led event, which was attended by many people and other concerned stakeholders, was meant to create a platform for men and women to celebrate their achievements in addressing food insecurity challenges as well as showcase their works in the face of the global economic crisis and the negative effects of climate change,” said Mutsindikwa.
Score Against Poverty’s projects, which are being initiated in Mwenezi district’s six wards, are a consortium partnership also fronted by the Mennonite Central Committee and funded by Global Affairs Canada.

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