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ZDDT’s Nutritional Gardens Improve Diet for Beneficiaries BULAWAYO - Beneficiaries of Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT)’s nutritional gar-
Some of the stories in this issue
dens, in four different wards across the city, say the project has significantly improved the diet for their families.
I wanted to add my voice to development —P12
ZDDT, in partnership with Sally Foundation of Australia, started the nutritional garden projects for communities in Wards 15, 19, 21 and 27 following the economic crisis between of 2008.
ZDDT Has Made Me Grow As A Leader —P5
The gardens, which now have an increasing variety of crops of fruit and vegetables, continue to benefit residents who have also learnt how to prepare exciting and attractive meals for their own tables.
Ward 19 Women Scoop Prize at ZITF — P9
“These nutritional gardens have really helped us when it comes to boosting diet at homes because we grow a variety of crops,” said Jerita Siziba, of Kirimuva Garden in Old Pumula, Ward 19.
ZDDT Helped Us In Capacity Building— P7
The Ward 19 women, who in February this year underwent a ZDDT/Sally Foundation training in cooking and the production of jam, pickles and other related products, made history and scooped a prize on their maiden participation at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
Exhibiting under the home industries section, the Pumula-based women, were awarded the second prize for their jams and pickles made from their fruit and vegetables grown at their very own Kirimuva Garden having learnt from the ZDDT training. The accolade was a clear indication that their products are of high quality and meet market standards. Simbisai Ndlovu, of Ward 27 in Pumula South, said vegetables, such as lettuce and beetroot, which they never grew before, were helping them boost and improve their diet. “If you are to visit our home, you will be enthused at our diet,” said Ndlovu. “We are eating food stuffs that we thought was for Europeans and our diet has completely changed for better because of these gardens.” Betty Sibanda of Luveve in Ward 15, who grows carrots and other vegetables, said the nutritional gardens were also boosting their health. “We are already harvesting our carrots; this is good relish for us at home,” said Sibanda. “Even if I sell my carrots, I can go and buy beef for my children. This crop is very important because it is also medicinal when it comes to eyesight.” Diabetes and other diseases, are becoming more prevalent in communities with a starch and sugar based diet, hence the need to change eating habits wherever realistically possible.
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Two Buena Vista Families Thank ZDDT BUENA VISTA– Recently two families from Bulawayo’s Buena Vista suburb thanked Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT) for coming to their rescue, after the trust donated US$50 to each of them. The donation was part of the trust’s monthly Business Social Credit Scheme (BSCS) in which Sally Foundation of Australia and Freight Consultants, Bulawayo, contribute to the fund aimed at assisting the lessprivileged members of the community. “Thank you so much ZDDT for helping me; I did not know where to go,” said Lonely Sibanda, whose family stays in someone’s unfinished house with no access to water and electricity. Her family has no accommodation of its own as it cannot afford rentals. “We are really grateful for the help you have rendered us,” added Sibanda. Lister Ndebele, another beneficiary, also paid tribute to ZDDT for their timely intervention. “I am very happy and I would like to thank ZDDT for remembering us; I look after two orphans and I have nothing to give to them,” said Ndebele. The two families were identified by the area’s councillor, Cllr Silas Chigora, Ward 4, the winner of ZDDT’s coveted Councillor of the Year trophy in 2016. “We are very grateful for what ZDDT has done to us today,” said Chigora.
“I have learnt to be humble as a leader “– Cllr Musonda MZILIKAZI – Councillor for Ward 8,
Sheila Musonda, a beneficiary of the Zimbabwe Development Trust (ZDDT)’s leadership trainings, says she has over the past four years learnt to be humble as a community leader. Ward 8 covers Thorngrove, Nguboyenja, Burombo, Barbour Fields and Mzilikazi townships. ZDDT took Bulawayo and Gweru councillors through a number of leadership trainings when they came into office in 2013.
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Women Commit to Social Responsibility OLD PUMULA – Ward 19 women, at Kirimuva Garden in Old Pumula, have set aside a portion of the produce for use by orphans in the township as they move towards embracing the concept of corporate social responsibility. The nutritional garden is an initiative of the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT) in partnership with GDG and Sally Foundation. The orphans, for whom the members had agreed to set aside plots, are growing a
variety of vege-
tables of their choice at Kirimuva for them to earn a living. “There are so many orphans in and around Pumula, “said Jerita Siziba, one of the women farmers at Kirimuva Garden. Successful people have a social responsibility to make the world a better place and not just take from it. — Carrie Underwood “I also live with three orphans. We think helping them orphans is very important since there is nowhere else they can find help. They are not paying anything at all in as far as subscriptions are concerned because after all they do not have that money.” Siziba said most of the orphans in the garden were school children doing their secondary education, also adding they were now earning their living from gardening.
Residents Urged to Pay Rates LUVEVE: Councillor
for Bulawayo’s Ward 15, Tamani Moyo, has encouraged residents of Luveve, which falls under her jurisdiction, to pay their rates to the local authority in order for them to receive better services from the city fathers. The Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT), which enjoys a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), works with its local government in promoting responsible citizenry. Both ZDDT and BCC encourage the social contract within communities, knowing that the payment of municipal bills helps the local authority improve service delivery. Addressing a residents’ meeting on the 7th of July at Beit Hall, Councillor Moyo told Luveve residents that timeous payment of bills could not be over emphasized. “The money we use to provide services to you comes from your payments,” Cllr Moyo told the residents. “There is no service that we (BCC) can provide as long as there is no money.”
She said owing to failure by residents to settle their bills, it was regrettable that Ward 15 has only US$ 4000 under BCC’s recently introduced Three Percent Ward Retention Fund while other wards have far more than that. “Do not be surprised now to see more development in other wards. It will be simply because they are paying Council more than you do. Please let’s be all encouraged to pay our bills,” added Cllr Moyo. She encouraged those facing challenges in the payment of bills to always approach the city fathers with payment plans instead of waiting until their water supply has been cut-off.
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ZDDT Hailed for Apolitical Approach to Development Bulawayo – Councillor Mlandu Ncube, Ward 1, has hailed the Zimbabwe Development Trust (ZDDT)’s apolitical approach to developmental issues in the city. The trust is in a long standing development partnership with the Bulawayo City Council. Improving service delivery, is one of the objectives of partnership between the two organisations. Speaking during a ZDDT expanded zone meeting held at the Small City Hall recently, Cllr Ncube thanked the trust for its apolitical stance when it comes to matters pertaining to the development of the city. “I would like to thank ZDDT for their apolitical stance when it comes to the development of Bulawayo,” said Cllr Ncube. “We have seen so many pressure groups turn into politics but the CAT members have continued with development issues. Keep it that way and the city will develop,” he said.
Ward 1 Elects Ward Retention Fund Committee Small City Hall – On May 13, Ward 1 residents elected a Ward Retention Fund Committee to spearhead developmental projects for the Central Business District of Bulawayo which forms most of the area constituency. The 10-member committee, chaired by the area’s councillor, Cllr Mlandu Ncube, was elected during a resident’s meeting held at the Small City Hall over that weekend. As a strategy to encourage residents to pay rates, the Bulawayo City Council ploughs back to each ward, three percent of its total annual contribution in terms of revenue. The Retention Fund, according to the local authority, is for developmental projects that benefit all members of the ward. During the meeting, Ward 1 residents, together with their councillor, proposed a number of projects to be embarked upon using their US$278 000 special fund. The projects include attending to dysfunctional street lights, renovation of Jabulani Flats, resuscitation of the Dugmore Clinic and many others. To set the ball rolling, the elected committee met on Saturday, May 20, to finalise projects. Cllr Ncube said the committee would then take a copy of the minutes containing the proposed projects, to the Financial Services Director for the release of funds.
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Drama Group Adopts a Child BULAWAYO – Amazing Stars Arts Academy (ASAA), a local drama group which has a long standing relationship with the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT), has adopted a girl child, for whom the ensemble is paying school fees. ASAA, in partnership with ZDDT, stages drama performances on climate change, citizen mobilisation for democratic transition and other related factors across Bulawayo. The adoption of Lisabel Nyathi, turning 15 this year, is an indication of growth on the part of the group, which is now able to stand on its own financially and even contribute to corporate social responsibility. “We have adopted a child who is an orphan now doing form three at Sikhulile High School in Lobengula,” ASAA director, Forgiven Ndlovu, told ZDDT News. “As I speak we are paying school fees for her as an organisation from what we are getting from ZDDT and other organisations as we perform.” He said they also buy uniforms for Lisabel whom they have since incorporated into the drama group, as they take care of all her schooling needs. “She has the potential in art; she is a very good actor, dancer and singer,” elaborated Ndlovu. He added that girl’s plight and her potential as a student left the drama group with no other option but to
assist her. Lisabel stays with her aunt in
Mabuthweni Township.
ZDDT has made me grow as a leader – Cllr Jele Nkulumane – Councillor for Bulawayo’s Ward 22, Rodney Jele, one of the youngest the city has ever elected to chamber, says the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT) has helped him grow as a leader. Ward 22 covers the areas of Bullet, Sekusile and Manemo shopping centres, all in Nkulumane. “I have learnt a lot from so many workshops on leadership training actually facilitated by ZDDT,” Cllr Jele told ZDDT News, after a recent Zone Meeting held at Nkulumane Housing Office. “This has really made me grow as an individual and have the capacity to lead the people as a young person obviously.” The trust conducted a number of trainings for the councillors when they came into office in 2013 to help them deliver on their mandate. Turning 30 this year, Cllr Jele has been a councillor for the past four years and actively participates in all Council activities, including the monthly full Council meetings and he chairs the Audit Committee and sits on the Water and Finance Committees.
Cllr Jele at Nkulumane Housing Office
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Birth Certificate Challenges Hinder Children BULAWAYO– Residents in the city have expressed concern over the growing number of children who are not going to school, partly
Zone Meeting in progress in Nkulumane
due to the fact that they do not have birth certificates. “Children are out of school because of these birth certificates. Even if we try to go and register them, there are just so many questions such as ‘where was the child born’ and so forth,” said Senzeni Bhebhe, of Old Pumula. She was speaking to ZDDT News recently after Amazing Stars Arts Academy (ASAA) highlighted the challenge with their drama event in the township. ASAA, in partnership with ZDDT, stages shows across Bulawayo promoting citizen mobilisation through drama while also highlighting challenges being faced by residents in the communities.
“The issue of birth certificates is a problematic one because some people of my age, who lost their parents while they were young, still do not have birth certificates,” said Nobert Moyo, who is in his early 20s. “Those people were born in Zimbabwe and have health cards and we would really want the government to assist in ensuring they are properly documented.” Mthulisi Moyo, another resident, said the issue of birth certificates was a nation-wide problem, adding it was unacceptable for people over 20 years to continue without the essential documents. The matter of undocumented citizens has many other down-stream implications and it all begins with birth registration. He explained: “At the registry offices there are so many requirements. I am also personally pained because I live among people without birth certificates.” Ward 23 Community Action Team (CAT) members said the problems with acquisition of birth certificates were not peculiar to children born outside the country as those born locally also suffer the same fate. CAT members are community leaders who were trained by ZDDT to work with councillors in their respective wards to spearhead developmental programmes and projects and provide a second tier of leadership. Agnes Anderson, of Ward 19 said it was regrettable that the moment some guardians, when told of the money to pay in order to facilitate the birth registration of their children, shirk this responsibility. She said it was important that parents attend formal meetings where issues of birth registration are extensively discussed so they can get first-hand information instead of relying on community leaders whom they later blame when they fail to secure the essential documents. Sicelo Tshuma, another Ward 19 CAT member, suggested that a day be set aside when Justice for Children Trust could be invited to Pumula for one-on-one consultations with parents and guardians on the problematic subject of birth registration.
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One-on-one with a CAT member After an expanded zone meeting recently held at the Small City Hall, ZDDT’s Correspondent, briefly spoke to a Ward 16 Community Action Team (CAT) member, Mr Denis Gwabalanda Mathe (DM). Mathe is pictured outside Bulawayo’s City Hall. Below are some of the excerpts from their conversation. MT (Mandla Tshuma): As we begin our conversation this morning, may I kindly ask you to tell us a little about yourself. DM: I am Dennis Gwabalanda Mathe. I was born in Sipepa, Tsholotsho. In Bulawayo, coincidentally, I stay in Gwabalanda. I am a community leader under the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association. We were the first ZDDT CAT members when the concept was introduced. Lucky enough we were given trees to plant in our ward; about 100 trees, I still remember. MT: Looking at today’s expanded zone meeting, what would you say you have learnt? DM: In today’s meeting we learnt that people from different wards have different ideas. They operate differently and the way they work with their councillors in their different wards also differs. What I also realised was that we had councillors of different ages. We learnt a lot today. This has taught councillors something that I did not know as well that it is possible. For example Luveve residents formed their WhatsApp chat group. Whenever, they want to call for a meeting, they just post the message in the group.Work then becomes much easier. It also looks like they work so well with their councillor.
ZDDT helped us in Capacity Building – Gweru Councillor GWERU – Councillor for Gweru’s Ward 13, Catherine Mhondiwa, has paid tribute to the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT)’s capacity building training, explaining she is now a better leader, courtesy of the trust’s interventions. Mhondiwa told ZDDT News in the Midlands provincial capital recently that, through working together with ZDDT, she had learnt a lot about leadership. “ZDDT Workshops have been so useful,” said Mhondiwa, with a contented smile. “If you are a new councillor, you really do not know where to go. It (ZDDT training) was just something amazing. ZDDT helped us a lot in capacity building on how we can deliver services to our residents, how we can communicate and how we can work with all residents including how to encourage them to pay their rates.” Mhondiwa, who has been in Council since 2013, chairs the Gweru City Council Finance Committee. She said,in order to be competent leader, she had learnt to be always be attentive, adding that her followers should always know to where she is taking them.
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I Now Know How to Chair a Meeting – Ward 15 CAT Member LUVEVE – Ward 15 Community Action Team (CAT) Member, Doctor Moyo, says he is now able to chair a meeting, courtesy of the Zimbabwe Development Trust (ZDDT)’s practical training. For the first time, Moyo was asked by ZDDT’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Gardner Ndhlovu, to chair Zone 3 Meeting held on the 31st of May 2017 at Luveve Housing Office, which he did very well. “At first I was afraid, but I would say I have learnt to have confidence to address people,” Moyo told ZDDT News. “I wish to be given another opportunity to chair the meeting again because I now know how to do it.” As part of leadership training and development, ZDDT now provides CAT members an opportunity to chair meetings held in their zones, something which gives them ownership of the programme and enhances their leadership capacity.
Meet the ZDDT Field Officers
Florah Mutig
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Ward 19 Women Scoop Prize at ZITF
Bulawayo– Ward 19 women, who in February this year underwent a ZDDT/Sally Foundation training on the production of jam, pickles and other related products, made history and scooped a prize on their maiden participation at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. Exhibiting under the home industries section, the Pumula-based women, were
awarded the second prize for their jams and pickles made from Kirimuva Garden products. The accolade is a clear indication that the products are of high quality and meet market standards. The ZDDT/Sally Foundation training for the ladies, which has now taken them to such dizzy heights, was aimed at adding value to the trust’s various community gardens in the city. A total of 16 Community Action Team members drawn from Bulawayo’s Wards 15, 19, 21 and 27, underwent lectures and practical work to prepare a variety of meals and manufacture tomato sauce, pickles, pickled beetroot and onion, sweet and sour cucumber pickle, fruit chutney, mixed pickles and various other products. Sally Masuku, of Bulawayo’s Old Pumula Township, one of the beneficiaries of the programme, has since clinched a deal to supply her products to the Theological College of Zimbabwe. “We are really excited about this prize and we would like to thank God about it,” said Masuku. “We also want to thank ZDDT and Sally Foundation for training us. Otherwise we would not have received this recognition.” She added that, words alone cannot describe her joy.
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Councillors Speak Out Cllr Ngwenya Speaks on Residents Meetings
Leadership is Being a Good Listener – Cllr Hlabano
Ward 6 Councillor, Thabitha Ngwenya (TN) said due to some challenges peculiar to her ward, she now holds meetings with residents after three months.
BULAWAYO– Councillor for Bulawayo’s Ward 26, which covers Emganwini
Cllr Ngwenya spoke to ZDDT Field Correspondent Mandla Tshuma (MT), after a ZDDT expanded zone meeting in the city centre recently.
Township, Norman Hlabano, has said leadership is all about one being a good listener. for the acting have train-
Hlabano, who has been in Council past nine years, and is the current mayor, is one of the councillors who benefited from ZDDT’s leadership ings.
Below is their dialogue.
listener ZDDT
“Leadership is about being a good to the community,” Hlabano told the News.
MT: As we begin our brief talk this morning, councillor, may you introduce yourself.
“You can’t be a leader without the community. You learn every day from the community through listening. ZDDT engaged us as councillors, including the Community Action Teams, in training in team work. My leadership, according to the ZDDT concept, does not focus only on a councillor but also includes members of the community.”
TN: I am Cllr
Hlabano has chaired a number of Council Committees since he came into office in 2008 such as Engineering Services and Environment, while he currently chairs the Water Committee.
Thabitha Ngwenya; I am from Ward 6. MT: Looking at the feed-back meetings which are held on a monthly basis by some councillors, how is the situation like in your ward?
The enthusiastic councillor said,before he entered local government, he was approached by residents to represent them in Council, adding it was not his choice.
TN: In my ward we do not hold these meetings every month. We have a Ward Development Committee which is the one that assists us.
“It wasn’t easy then. I am a people-driven councillor, not the self-driven one,” he emphasized.
We have residents associations in seven suburbs. We therefore took two representatives from each suburb to make a group of 14 and that is our development committee.
Ward News in brief
What it means is that all suburbs are represented.
Parklands residents organised themselves, bought bulbs and fixed street lights. The suburb is the well-lit in Bulawayo.
Councillors in different wards are urging residents to timeously pay their rates for them to get better services from the City Council.
The Bulawayo City Council has conducted the first phase of the 2018 budget consultations in all the 29 wards in the city.
Twenty out of 29 wards in the city have submitted the Three Percent Retention Funds Projects to the local authority.
Most councillors regularly hold feed-back meetings with residents in their wards during weekends.
Patching of potholes is ongoing in the city despite financial challenges..
Community sweeping groups are keeping the residential areas clean.
We therefore meet every week on Tuesday at 10 am BG Swimming Pool. There are also residents chairpersons, I also try to meet with them at least every two weeks. We then hold residents meeting after three months. MT: What challenges do you have in organising residents meetings? TN: The challenge is that people do not want to move out of their homes. You call for a meeting but they do not attend. It is just only a few that come. I do not know how that can be addressed. We really need help on that so that people may come to these meetings in their numbers. MT: Have you ever had any crowd at your meetings? TN: There has never been any crowd. If we call for a meeting, the number that we get always falls far below our expectations. If for example you are to get 20 people out of 300 residents, the figure would be just too low. We are therefore encouraging people to come and participate and say out their expectations on service delivery. This remains our wish. MT: But have they complained or raised concern over anything in the ward? TN: Most of them do not complain. However, there are those few who have complained about the street lights. MT: Thank your Cllr for taking your time to talk to me.
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Thembalezizwe, Hope for the Downtrodden in Trenance BULAWAYO –The future is not necessarily gloomy and bleak for children at Trenance squatter camps, thanks to Thembalezizwe Community Centre’s intervention.
“Even if you go to Trenance Primary School, you will find that kids from our centre are doing very well as most of them are always in the top 10,” Sithole said.
Situated at Number 1 Bulawayo Drive, right on the boundary of Bulawayo and Umguza Rural District, Thembalezizwe, which means “hope for the outcasts”, has become a refuge for the
He said the first ever batch of pupils to pass through Thembalezizwe were now doing Form One. Parents, Sithole said, were paying nominal school fees of US$6 per term as a way of getting them involved in the programme. Pupils, who have lessons between 8am and 1pm from Tuesday to Friday every week, are also fed during school hours to improve their health. “Monday is the planning day for our staff; we normally plan as staff and pray because we believe whatever we are doing, we need to align ourselves with God,” explained Sithole. The school has four volunteer teachers who are running it.
downtrodden kids, most of whom are orphans and born to HIV positive parents. The community institution par-excellence, runs an Early Childhood Development (ECD) school targeting children at the squatter camps dotted around Trenance. ZDDT News recently visited the institution, the brainchild of Thembalezizwe Christian Church, to get first-hand information on the services it offers to the community. “We started this pre-school eight years ago,” said Pastor Taurai Sithole, Director at Thembalezizwe. “This is how it started. As a church we saw kids roaming around the community and, as the leader of the church, I tried to find out what was causing them not to go to school, only to find out that some of these kids did not have parents; they were orphans.” Sithole said having prayed concerning the plight of those children some of whom were already eight years old, they then thought of becoming part of the solution to the problem. “We then started by gathering them to sing songs and to tell them bible stories; it was like a kids club and not a proper school. We therefore later developed it from there to become the ECD centre that it is today.” With a current enrolment of over 40 kids, Thembalezizwe, yet to be registered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, was built with assistance from a United Kingdombased church.
“But, as a church, we found it helpful to also assist them and currently we are paying them US$90 which is not enough bePastor Sithole cause some of them are paying rentals which are pegged at US$60 or US$70 each. They also need to eat and they need to send their kids to school. It is just an allowance which we are saying, as a church, we do not have money but we see their heart and the good work they are doing, so it is just a way of appreciating them,” said Sithole. During the holidays, Sithole said, they make sure that, even if there are no classes, their staff goes from house to house visit-
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BULAWAYO— Having been a councillor for nearly four years now, Silas Chigora, Ward 4, says he contested the 2013 elections because he felt it was high time he added his voice to the development of Bulawayo as a city. Chigora’s vast ward covers Ascot, Malindela, Hillside East, Burnside, Woodlands, Selbourne Park phases 1 and 2, parts of Matsheumhlope, Riverside, Sunninghill, Manningdale, Lochview, Waterford, Buena Vista, Glencoe, Willsgrove, Fortune’s Gate and Ilanda. “The reason why I wanted to be a councillor was that, when I looked at the services that were being offered by the Council, I thought I should add my own voice to the development in the ward,” said Chigora. “Obviously the interest was also coming from the political side where I saw the need for change. I was looking at what was happening in local government and even at national government and therefore I thought I could add my own experience to it.” Born in the Midlands mining town of Zvishavane in 1973, Chigora is married and has two children. Currently residing within his ward at Waterford, the Ward 4 councillor will soon moving to Matsheumhlope where is building a new home. Holding a Higher Diploma in Human Resources, the 44-year old Chigora has worked as a regional personnel officer for OK-Zimbabwe for nearly five years. In 2008, at the height of economic crisis, Chigora left employment to pursue private business until 2013 when he contested Ward 4, a position he still holds to date. With the nearly four years that Chigora has spent in Council, he says he has learnt a lot about leadership. “Leadership is quite a challenge; it is not a walk in the park but one thing that I learnt for sure is that I need to work together with the residents,” said Chigora.
Amazing Stars Arts Academy stage a performance on citizen mobilisation in Pelandaba
“I need to consult them. There is a lot of consultation that I should do, so that I run away from rather imposing projects and personal vision on the people as opposed to what they really need. Chigora said he was confident the recently introduced Three Percent Ward Retention Fund would go a long way in ensuring that residents begin to see the results of the rates they pay. The Ward 4 councillor, a ZDDT Councillor of the Year Award recipient who has served in various Council committees that include Engineering, Business, Town Lands Planning and Finance, said, in future, it would be good for the Bulawayo City Council to come up with ward-based budgets so residents could manage their affairs at grassroots level. “At the moment, if I report to say, for example, Kabot Drive has not been done this year, I will have to wait for the engineer to plan whenever he thinks he needs to do Kabot Drive. But if you have resources and if you have structures that are within the ward then I will be able to mobilise resources towards specific projects and specific issues that concern the ward,” he elaborated. Chigora, who is one of the most active councillors both in his ward and Council Chambers, appreciated the long standing relationship between the local authority and ZDDT. “When we came in as councillors, obviously we were very raw and the first organisation to take us through was ZDDT,” he explained. “That relationship between us as councillors and even the council management and ZDDT is very cordial. We need that relationship to be fostered ahead or even improved. ZDDT is one organisation that has assisted us in terms of training, in terms of mobilisation and even in terms of donations.” He said Bulawayo could be well advanced in terms of development if there were other organisations supporting the city fathers in the same way the trust does
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PUMULA – Pumula residents have described Amazing Stars Arts Academy (ASAA) performances as very effective on citizen mobilisation. ASAA, in partnership with the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust, is staging shows on citizen mobilisation for democratic transition in all the 29 wards of Bulawayo. “Community mobilisation is very important if ever there can be any development in our areas,” said Mthulisi Moyo, of Old Pumula.
Mthulisi Moyo
Moyo, who is also a musician, emphasized the need for residents to come together and participate in all developmental projects. “Let’s come together and support one another in whatever we do,” he
added. Senzeni Bhebhe, another Old Pumula resident, also hailed the drama as very effective in stimulating members of the society to work for one good and common cause. “This drama encourages us to come together for community development; it encourages us to even unite when there are funerals,” she elaborated. Sinikiwe Mpofu, a Pumula East resident described the ASAA drama performance as very educative. “From my own point of view, this drama is very educative,” she said. “The message is very clear. The other thing that I liked about this drama is the use of different languages in conveying the message. That helps in reaching to all members of the community.”
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Senior Citizens benefit from ZDDT’s BSCS NKULUMANE – Two senior citizens from Ward 24 in Bulawayo’s Nkulumane Township benefited from Zimbabwe Development Trust (ZDDT)’s Business Social Credit Scheme (BSCS) which saw them walking away with US$50 each. Sally Foundation of Australia and Freight Consultants are contributors to the scheme which seeks to cushion needy families in the city against economic hardships. This is an essential element of ZDDT’s social responsibility programme as it brings the business fraternity closer to the community from which it owes existence. The two latest beneficiaries, Daisy Ndlovu, 80, and Zondiwe Nyoni, 72, who were identified by their councillor, Cllr Gideon Mangena, could not contain their joy after being handed over their cash. “Thank you so much my children. This is an amazing gift to me,” said Ndlovu. “I had 11 children and nine have died and I am now left with only two who also left for Johannesburg; they don’t phone me whatsoever.” She said she reports all her needs and problems to Cllr Mangena. “Today I will sleep on a full stomach because of this money,” she added. Nyoni thanked ZDDT and Cllr Mangena for remembering her saying it was her first time to receive such a gift since independence. “I had five children, four of whom have died and I am left with one who is in South Africa,” said Nyoni.
Published By Zimbabwe Development
“She no longer cares for me and I am suffering. I am going to use this money to pay my water bill. I am so excited and may God richly bless you.” Cllr Mangena also paid tribute to ZDDT for coming to the elderly women’s rescue, adding the selection process was not easy since most residents are undergoing difficulties in the ward.
Democracy Trust Stories & Photos By
Have Enjoyed Being a Councillor - Fundira
Mandla Tshuma
GWERU –Councillor for Gweru’s Ward 9, Gibson Fundira, who has been in office for
Email: mandlajournalist@gmail.com Story contributions By ZDDT Field Officers Edited By Simon Spooner Projects Manager Angela Mason M & E Officer Gardner Ndhlovu Finance Officer Laura Buckley 10 Carlisle Street Belmont Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Tel: +263 9 61403 Email: news@zddt.org Website: www.zddt.org
the past four years says he has enjoyed being a community leader. Ward 9, in the Midlands provincial capital, comprises Villages 1, 2 and 3. “I have been a councillor since July 2013 and I have really enjoyed being a councillor, although I have been facing some challenges,” Fundira recently told ZDDT News, during a visit to Gweru. Fundira was quick to point out that ZDDT’s capacity-building workshops he has attended to date, have made his job much easier. “What I knew before I became a councillor was that I wanted to represent the people of my ward but what I realised later was that I needed to learn more about leading people,” said Fundira. “I attended some workshops where I learnt a lot about interacting with the people I represent. ZDDT workshops were very useful. I was taught to be a good councillor, representing the people and also to interact with the people I represent, doing service delivery and getting information from Council and transmitting it to the residents that I represent.” Fundira said he holds feed-back meetings with residents in his ward on a monthly basis or bimonthly depending with his schedule.
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Servant Leadership is About Responding to People’s Needs – Cllr Moyo Bulawayo – Ward
9 Councillor, Charles Moyo, says that, through his interaction with the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT), he has come to understand that leadership is all about responding to the people’s needs. “What is very fundamental is to hear the concerns of the residents and try to address them and I think basically that will keep us in office,” said Cllr Moyo. “The moment you are able to respond to their needs, to me I think that is leadership. When they criticise you, don’t worry about objecting to the criticisms but address their concerns.”
I Don’t Believe in Ruling People –Cllr Sithole MAKOKOBA – Councillor James Sithole, Ward 7, says, as a leader, he does not believe in ruling people but in ruling together with the people. Ward 7 covers Makokoba residential, Thorngrove industrial, portion of Thorngrove residential, Westgate, Steeldale and Westondale industrial areas. “I don’t believe in ruling people,” Sithole told ZDDT News. “I have learnt that it is important to rule together with the people. In Ndebele they call it “Ukubusa”. I do not have to rule people but I have to rule together with the people.” Sithole, a beneficiary of ZDDT’s leadership trainings, went on to further explain that ruling together with the people entails a lot of consultation and allowing people to be involved in decision-making. “When you involve people right from the outset, it will instil a sense of ownership. Whatever you do, they do not see it as councillor’s thing or City Council’s thing but they take it as their thing,” he said. He added that ZDDT trainings have moulded him into the councillor that he is today. “We have received countless training sessions facilitated by ZDDT and most of these were centring on capacity building, making us better councillors, making us understand what a councillor is and what it is that we are expected to be doing,” he elaborated. “I believed those trainings contributed a lot to what I am today and the confidence that I have. I can stand in front of people; I think partly it is because of that moulding.”Cllr Sithole is serving his second terms as a policy maker as he was successfully re-elected in 2013. Cllr Sithole is serving his second terms as a policy maker as he was successfully re-elected in 2013.
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ZDDT’S Expanded Zone Meetings Hailed Leaders in action
Some of the councillors attending
BULAWAYO- ZDDT’s recently introduced expanded zone meetings have been hailed as an important platform for councillors and residents to further exchange ideas on the development of Bulawayo as a city. On top of the single zones meetings, the trust has added the expanded zone meetings concept, which now brings together three zones under one roof to discuss development in the city. The inaugural expanded ZDDT zone meeting, incorporating Zones 4, 5 and 6, was held on the 29th of March, 2017 at Nkulumane Community Hall. The three zones brought together make up 11 wards and these are 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 24, 25, 26 and 27. Seven councillors who attended the historic meeting were Cllr Gideon Mangena (W24), Clyton Zana (W19), Siboniso Khumalo (W27), Concilia Mlalazi (W18), Thobani Ncube (W23), Ephraim Ncube (W17) and Rodney Jele (W22). Community Action Team (CAT) members, officials from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) Health Services Department, Justice for Children and other stakeholders were part of the 40, inclusive of ZDDT staff, that attended the meeting. The meeting, which was chaired by ZDDT Field Officer, Vusumuzi Chirwa, discussed service delivery, revenue collection, information dissemination, feedback meetings, three percent ward retention fund and birth registration. The second expanded zone meeting was held on the 5th of April at the Small City Hall. In attendance were Councillors Charles Moyo (Ward 9), Silas Chigora (Ward 4), Mlandu Ncube (Ward 1) and Tabitha Ngwenya (Ward 6), Community Action Team (CAT) members, TRACE representatives and Bulawayo City Council Staff members. “I got to understand so many things from today’s meeting,” said Cllr Concilia Mlalazi, Ward 18, immediately after the Nkulumane expanded zone meeting. “As a councillor, familiar with work in our ward, I got to appreciate the work of councillors from different wards. I realised where I am not doing well from my fellow councillors. From here, I will go back to my ward and sort-out things where I have not been doing well.” CAT members have also hailed the concept of expanded zone meetings. “I have never seen a meeting as good as this one,” said Bernard Ndlovu of Ward 14. “All the things done by residents in their wards, which were discussed here, are all good things which I believe can build up Bulawayo. This meeting has been very good. We would want to thank the ZDDT for inviting us to come and discuss what we do in our areas, such as how we deal with garbage and burst sewers.” Joyce Moyo of Ward 18 said more expanded zone meeting are an important necessity. “We like such meetings and when you say the next expanded zone meeting will be in August, we feel it is just too far. We wish it was a bit earlier while what we have just learnt from today’s meeting is still fresh in our minds. These meetings help us develop our communities. There is a lot happening in our communities and such meeting teach us a lot as well,” she said.
See you again in October and, in the meantime, stay safe, be proud and………. khumbula abanye!!!!!!!!