OneImpact Zimbabwe App: the game changer

**Peter Dube, Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation Programmes Manager**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The country’s digital health strategy has scored a major milestone with the OneImpact Zimbabwe Community-led Monitoring mobile application which provides users with information on TB, as well as providing a feedback platform on accessing services.

The application is currently available on Play Store and App Store, while plans are being made to have it on feature phones, as the country is pushing its fight to eliminate TB by 2030.

Speaking on the sidelines of a recent OneImpact Zimbabwe CLM capacity building workshop, Peter Dube, Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation, Programmes Manager, said this digital innovation will go a long way in spreading information on TB.

“Apart from spreading information on TB, this will also allay fears of stigma and discrimination among people that are affected by TB.

“It actually empowers those people affected by TB, but not only TB but the other diseases as well, so that they can claim their rights, access health, support services and report and eliminate TB stigma and discrimination.

“So that’s generally what the OneImpact Zimbabwe digital application is all about. So for Zimbabwe, we (JHWO) then came together with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, ICT department and decided to be very specific with our own application and we called it, the OneImpact Zimbabwe Community-led Monitoring application.

“The main advantage of this application is that it can be accessed at any corner of the country, it is not a heavy application on mobile phones and we are currently working on making sure that it can actually then be uploaded on those phones which are not smart phones.

“The idea is that we want everyone to at least have information on TB and everyone to use that information across the country on TB.

“So you will notice that when you get into the application itself, it has a number of modules, the Get to know your rights module, for instance right to health, right to life, and other rights,” said Dube.

He added that the application gives users information about TB itself, in a simplified version.

“There is a module on Get Connected, for instance you want to be connected to other people who have lived experiences on TB, you can get into that module, there is the Get Access module, where you want to know the facilities that are closest to you, where you will be.

“It (application) has a google map, which will show you the facilities which will be closest where you will be, not only in this country but even outside, so it can do that for you and that is another good thing about it.

“And of course, the other module that is critical is the module where you are Reporting an issue. Maybe you are failing to access services because there is something that is happening at that particular facility.

“So you want then to raise this as an alarm to say I’m failing to get my services from this particular facility because either it’s attitude of the healthcare stuff there or it’s because that facility doesn’t have the TB medicines that you require or there are no testing equipment at that facility.

“Because we are saying TB is a curable disease and if you go to the nearest facility, you should get assistance; you should be put on treatment if you have it, so if all these things are not happening at a facility, then you can report that as an issue so that it can be addressed by the authorities.

“Because they (authorities) may not know that you are failing to access services because there is a barrier that’s blocking you.

“So OneImpact application is one way of reporting that issue so that it is addressed,” added Dube.

Dube also revealed that from time to time, they run surveys on the application so as to assess whether or not people are getting quality services across the country.

He also revealed that the application was also capable of being used for other disease as this is one of the ways to improve the digital health strategy.

“The application has room for hanging other diseases as well not just TB. You can have HIV there, you can have malaria there, we do have a survey on multiple myeloma, one kind of cancer that’s also affecting elderly people.

“So we are also thinking of including these on the application because it’s a user friendly application and many people like it because of the way it is set up, so we are currently just giving people information on TB because of the magnitude of TB in the country.”

Ronald Rungoyi, Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe Chairperson

Ronald Rungoyi, Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe Chairperson, echoed similar sentiments saying, “the OneImpact CLM platform is one of the CLM accountability for TB tools that help collect feedback on barriers faced by people affected by TB and engage them to know their rights and to report the barriers that prevent them from being diagnosed, treated, and cared for.

“It is therefore important for communities affected by TB, civil society organizations working with communities and the private sector to familiarize themselves with the OneImpact CLM platform.

“As the Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe (STPZ) carries out its mandate and coordinates partner multisectoral response to ending TB, training of TB partners on OneImpact CLM is vital.

“It is against this background, that the STPZ will support training of TB partners and stakeholders on the OneImpact CLM platform,” said Rungoyi.

Customary law, traditional norms and values, leading obstacles to women accessing land

**ZWACT Executive Director, Sandra Matendere**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

A report by the Zimbabwe Women Against Corruption Trust (ZWACT), has revealed that customary law, traditional norms and values, are the leading obstacles which limit women’s access to land.

The report titled, “Gendered impact of land corruption and displacements on women’s access to social-economic rights in Zimbabwe”, follows a research which was conducted in Masvingo and Manicaland Province.

The research which was led by Allan T. Chaumba, was commissioned to interrogate the extent to which women enjoy their access to land rights in Zimbabwe with special attention given to victims of the 2023/4 internal displacements in the Masvingo and Manicaland Provinces.

ZWACT Executive Director, Sandra Matendere, said while the research was carried out in the two provinces, it’s a fact that displacements are happening in various other provinces, hence when resources permit, they will move to other areas.

Major findings from the research were largely drawn from a sample of at least 500 women constituting 95 percent of the respondents reached out, whilst an insignificant 5 percent were male participants.

“Customary law, traditional norms and values are leading obstacles at 45 percent, followed by corruption at 19 percent, inadequate legal and policy frameworks at 9 percent and lack of implementation of existing legal and policy frameworks at 9 percent.

“In addition there appears to be a lack of political will at 8 percent, to address these challenges considering the fact that they existed during the pre-independence era and the same still exist 44 years after Zimbabwe Independence in 1980,” read the report.

The report further states that forms of corruption limiting women’s access to land rights, include favouritism.

“Favouritism at 35 percent, came prominent as the most common form of corruption, which involves showing preferential treatment or giving unfair advantages to some individuals or groups based on personal relationships rather based on real need for land.

“This leads to inefficiencies and incompetence in decision-making processes.

“This is followed by nepotism at 29 percent in which individuals in positions of power or authority show preferential treatment to their family members of friends often at the expense of more deserving and qualified candidates.

“Bribery scored 24 percent in which public officials and traditional leaders are offered items of value (such as money, livestock, gifts or favors) to give land to the landless.

“Women lamented being poor and unwilling to give such bribes and that explains why some of them do not have land even if they wanted to pay the bribes.

“In addition, 6 percent of the respondents accused public officials of demanding sexual favours in exchange for land,” added the report.

It was also revealed that in terms of land ownership, women still lag behind with only 2 percent claiming to be owning the land where they stay and also where they were evicted from in Manicaland and Masvingo Province.

And it was added that 98 percent did not own the land.

“Traditional leaders who had allocated them the land, had done so in the names of their husbands who also did not have papers as proof of either legal occupancy or ownership.”

Comment on the issue of young women’s access to land, Lillian Tinotenda Muhwandavaka, ZINASU National Gender Secretary, said it was really difficult for a girl child who wants land.

“As young women we are being denied access to land because they feel we don’t deserve because we are young women and there are a lot of reasons that are given.

“If you look at it, only 3 percent is representing us in Parliament and as we all know, we have our young women who should be representing us concerning this issue.

“So as young women we are really being treated unfairly, we have nowhere to air all our grievances.

“And you should know that no one understands the situation better than the person who is affected by that situation, so we need young women who amplify our voices concerning this.

“There is need for a serious policy change so that young women are empowered to have equal access to land, just like their male counterparts,” said Muhwandavaka.

She added: “because if you look at it from a rural perspective, young woman are not expected to say that they want land because they are told they can only access this when they are married.

“We have to give them the space which allows them to grow economically in different spaces, so this is something that is affecting us as young women; let’s consider young women.

“Young women need to be considered so that that they are part of the decision making processes so that we can realize our full potential.”

Tourism and Hospitality Industry important to country’s development agenda-President Mnangagwa

**President Mnangagwa (pic: Ministry of Information)**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

President Mnangagwa has said the country’s tourism and hospitality industry is a critical cog to the national development agenda and ongoing journey to realise an inclusive and sustainable sector, which leaves no one and no place behind.

President Mnangagwa was speaking at the official opening of the first UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, in the City of Victoria Falls on Friday.

Committee on Tourism and Competiveness (CTC) of UN Tourism, defines Gastronomy Tourism as a type of tourism activity which is characterised by the visitor’s experience linked with food and related products and activities, while travelling.

President Mnangagwa revealed that food often comprises about 30 percent of tourist expenditures, hence the industry creates local opportunities for jobs and community empowerment.

“Tourism is currently the third largest contributor to our country’s National Gross Domestic Product and one of the key economic growth factors having achieved a 34 percent increase in tourism arrivals, last year alone.

“Globally, a positive trend has been witnessed with tourism growth now exceeding 90 percent of its pre-COVID 19 pandemic levels.

“Regrettably, the African region has been contributing below 5 percent of global tourism performance.

“As such, the promotion of products such as Gastronomy Tourism and others like the “Brand Africa” initiative will undoubtedly go a long way to enhance Africa as an attractive and competitive destination, worldwide.

“I commend the UN Tourism and all stakeholders who continue to push the boundaries and reignite Africa’s tourism sector leveraging on the Continent’s unique natural and cultural offerings, including our foods and cuisines,” said President Mnangagwa.

He added that as we celebrate African Gastronomy Tourism in Zimbabwe, it was not just about honouring recipes and flavours.

“We pay homage to the wisdom of those who came before us, who understood the symbiotic relationship between food, well-being, the community and the environment.

“Their legacy lives on in our kitchens, where traditional dishes continue to nourish and unite us. Our traditional cuisines are more than mere meals but an expression of our identity, which is blended with the beauty of our landscapes and seasons.

“I trust that your palates will enjoy the experience and hope that you will embrace possible linkages to broaden Africa’s culinary portfolio.

“Given that a people’s cuisine are a manifestation of their culture; our continent’s unique cultural heritage, food and drink, therefore, offers immense opportunities for further expansion of the tourism sector.

“In our local Shona language, we say “hukama igasva hunozadziswa nekudya”.

“This saying encapsulates the importance of sharing food in building people to people relations in our African culture and tradition.

“By this fact, Gastronomy Tourism offers enormous potential to propel the growth of local, national and regional economies, while enhancing sustainability and inclusion towards the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals,” said President Mnangagwa.

He also revealed that for the country to fully benefit from Gastronomy Tourism, stakeholders in the sector should continually innovate by developing new products and services.

“Robust strategies should be implemented to scale up the promotion of gastronomy related tour packages, food festivals and cooking classes, among others, to make Africa an attractive gastronomy tourism destination.

“The internet continues to advance and is being utilised as a powerful tool for advertising and marketing, especially in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector.

“Riding on the wide use of ICT, we must see more people from the continent hosting food shows on contemporary media platforms to advance our unique cuisines.

“In the case of Zimbabwe, the Gastronomy Tourism has grown and remains anchored on grassroots initiatives.

“Recently, under the leadership of the First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa and her teams, in her capacity as the Patron of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Traditional Cookout Competitions were rolled out in our country’s provinces.

“These culminated in Regional Cookout Competitions and have seen some of the contestants developing marketable products for both the locally and international markets.

“Key lessons learnt include the fact that the traditional gastronomy cuisine goes beyond preparing food and attracting food enthusiasts.

“It is also a key driver for the transformation of economies, community empowerment and a catalyst for cultural branding for socio-economic benefits,” said the President.

He added that tourism was linked with many other systems, which are all important in the value chains of the local economy, hence the government had developed a cluster-based strategy, with Gastronomy Tourism being part of the Culture and Heritage Cluster.

“The Zimbabwe Gastronomy Tourism Strategy recognises value chains from suppliers of ingredients which includes local communities and farmers, as well as the processors and distributors, being airlines, hotels and restaurants.

“This further draws from the Farm to Market Concept.

“Central to gastronomy tourism is a thriving agriculture sector. It is, therefore, imperative that, as we grow this gastronomy tourism sub-sector, Africa must be a continent able to feed itself.

“Likewise, let us be proud of utilising our flora and fauna, for their rich herbal, medical and high nutritional benefits.

“In addition to the cluster-based strategy, Zimbabwe has embraced the Heritage-based Tourism philosophy, which focuses on the benefits arising from our unique environment, as well as traditions, culture and norms.

“Synergies among stakeholders in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, including with culinary experts and local communities, are being strengthened to identify and promote locally authentic dishes, traditional cooking methods and local ingredients,” he said.

President Mnangagwa added that: “work is underway in the design of policies meant to support and elevate our culinary artisans and small-scale farmers in the value chain.”

He further revealed that as we should look into the future, there was need to promote the heritage of the country’s cultural dishes by recognising their potential not only to sustain us, but to grow our economies for shared prosperity.

“By embracing Gastronomy Tourism, we are collectively making use of our history, resilience, and commitment to a sustainable and culturally rich future of the African continent and the World at large.”

The forum which started on Friday, ended on Sunday with several activities in the resort City of Victoria Falls.

Government should priotise women in mining

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The government has been called to prioritise women in mining as they have been for a long time left out to benefit from the country’s natural resources and they are also disproportionately affected as a result of the operations.

Speaking at a recent Economic Justice for Women Project, stakeholder engagement meeting in Harare, Fidelis Simbarashe Musona, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead at Centre for Natural Resource Governance said all attempts to empower women in mining should be deliberate.

Musona said it was important because women are most affected than their male counterparts.

“The recognition of artisanal and small-scale miners is a significant development as there are numerous women-mining groups, supported by different donors, banks etc.

“This will increase women’s participation in mining.

”There is a need for the government to demonstrate an intentional attempt to position women to benefit from mining in the Mines and Minerals Act and in mining generally.

“Going forward, we need to put our heads together and increase advocacy into gender and extractives to ensure increased intentional drives for women in mining.

”The government needs to be persuaded to prioritise women in mining,” said Musona.

He added that there was need for serious collaborations so as to achieve this with the amalgamation of empowering acts of Parliament, national policies like the Gender Policy, the Constitution in its gendered dimension.

Musona added: “Ensuring equal participation in decision-making on the extractive sector is critical to addressing inequalities and ensuring that the sector is managed in the interest of all citizens.

”Through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender Commission, provisions should be made to incentivize and support the participation of women-owned or women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the mining value chain.

“This could involve set-asides, preferential procurement policies, and access to financing and business development support.

”Provisions could be made to support the training and skills development of women in technical, operational, and managerial roles within the mining sector.

“This could involve partnering with educational institutions and vocational training centers to create tailored programs.”

Musona also further stressed that the full social benefit of resources development can only be realised if women and girls are able to participate as fully as males in all aspects of resources activity and consequent economic development and social progress.

He said this could only be possible if the principles of gender equality are embedded within the Mines and Minerals Act, supporting policies and practices.

Musona also revealed that this was necessary because “women are carrying the yoke or burden of mining and mining related engagements in the communities.”

”Implied is the fact that, the Mines and Minerals bill in Zimbabwe has left women worse off than before.

”Limited women access to land, limited access to resources- patriarchy.

“Men have most access to the benefits, which consist primarily of employment and income, while women and the families they care for are more vulnerable to the risks created by extractive industries, which consist of mostly harmful social and environmental impacts.

”The loss of land and waters that they rely upon to grow food for their families when they are forced to move by an extractives project will typically have a greater impact upon the women of a community, as they frequently take the greater responsibility for subsistence farming,” he added.

Margaret Mutsamvi, EJWP Director said they had “walked quite a journey documenting through research papers and stories and experiences of young women in a series of documentaries and as a strategy, has introduced these #SheConnects platforms for a direct engagement between young women affected by mining investments and initiatives and critical duty bearers such as legislature, ministries such as Ministry of Women Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises and Community Development, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Mines, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and respective civil society organizations.

“The aim is ensuring that such platforms map a practical way/steps forward in addressing emerging problems that are limiting the young women’s access to full socio-economic opportunities in respective host communities.”

Need for more STIs point of care tests

**Anna Machiya, National Coordinator for STI Prevention and Condom Distribution in the Ministry of Health and Child Care**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

There is need for more Sexually Transmitted Illnesses (STIs) point of care tests so as to determine the exact burden of the diseases in the country.
And without reliable data, more STIs continue to spread as the majority of them are asymptomatic.
This was revealed by Anna Machiya, the National Coordinator for STI Prevention and Condom Distribution in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, at a recent Media Science Café organised by the Health Communicators Forum.
“We also need to have some surveillance that maybe gives us an indication as to how big the problem of STIs in the country is, and without data on surveillance, on the magnitude of STIs it is very very difficult to really know what is happening.
“What we see now are those that become sick and present themselves at our facilities and these are the STIs that we are able to capture.
“So these ones that are asymptomatic continue to spread, and this is one reason that also fuels the spread of STIs.
“So now there is also talk of considering to move from syndromic approach to etiological approach, where we also use the specific laboratory tests to identify these STIs but the cost of doing such tests is quite high.
“So as more cheaper point of care tests are available on the market, the better it will be for us to also be able to screen,” said Machiya.
She added: “right now we have point of care test for syphilis and we are actually providing that to clients or to people that present with an STI, so we test for HIV and we test for syphilis.”
It is said syndromic approach focuses on the diagnosis and management of a specific set of symptoms or a syndrome, without necessarily identifying the underlying cause.
As for the etiological approach, it seeks to identify the underlying cause or origin of a disease, or symptom. It focuses on understanding the root cause, mechanism or pathophysiology.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 1 million curable STIs are acquired every day worldwide in people 15-49 years old, the majority of which are asymptomatic.
WHO further adds that in 2020 there were an estimated 374 million new infections in people 15-49 years with 1-4 curable STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis.
Machiya added that the main aims of STI control are to prevent the development of diseases, complications and sequelae, to interrupt the transmission of sexually acquired infections and to reduce the risk of HIV infection. She stressed that STIs are avoidable, treatable and curable hence early treatment is essential.
“For prevention, we should take note of social and cultural determinants, promote safer sexual behaviour (abstinence, delayed sexual debut and promote use of condoms for penetrative sexual acts,” added Machiya.

Barriers to women’s participation in politics and activism

BY LINDA TSUNGIRIRAI MASARIRA

Zimbabwean women face numerous challenges that hinder their participation in politics and activism. These obstacles are deeply rooted in cultural, religious, and traditional beliefs that perpetuate gender inequality.

One major issue is the expectation that women should prioritize caregiving, household chores, and family duties over political engagement. This limits their time, energy, and opportunities for political involvement. Additionally, women are often looked down upon, and their capabilities are underestimated, leading to a lack of confidence and self-belief.

Religious sects, such as the Apostolic Church, restrict women’s leadership roles, perpetuating gender inequality. Similarly, some churches, like the SDA, do not allow women to become official pastors. These religious beliefs perpetuate gender stereotypes, confining women to submissive and nurturing roles.

Cultural beliefs and traditional practices also hinder women’s political participation. For instance, women are expected to prioritize family and domestic duties, and those who choose to pursue political careers are often viewed as neglecting their responsibilities. Moreover, women are often excluded from decision-making processes and leadership positions, perpetuating male dominance.

Education is also a significant barrier. In some families, boys are prioritized over girls, limiting women’s access to education and opportunities for political engagement.

The notion that women should submit to men, especially in customary marriages, perpetuates gender inequality. This belief is often reinforced by churches and cultural practices, restricting women’s autonomy and agency.

To address these challenges, Zimbabwe needs to implement policies and programs that promote gender equality, challenge harmful gender stereotypes, and support women’s political participation and activism. This includes education and awareness-raising initiatives, quota systems, and mentorship programs.

By addressing these barriers, Zimbabwe can empower women to take on leadership roles, participate in politics, and contribute to the country’s development. It is essential to recognize the value of women’s participation in shaping a more inclusive and equitable society.

ActionForEquality #TimeIsNow

YourVoiceMatters #TimeToAct

Youth Service in Zimbabwe should start from Primary School

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The Youth Service in Zimbabwe which was rebranded from the National Youth Service; should start from Primary School Level as a subject, such that young people are inculcated with the values of patriotism and responsibility right from the onset.

This was revealed by Bishop Never Muparutsa who represents the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations and Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, on the sidelines of a meeting which religious leaders had at the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training on drug and substance abuse.

Bishop Muparutsa said the Youth Service in Zimbabwe programme “is a powerful, powerful programme,” which could also help in eliminating the drug and substance abuse scourge.

Youth Service in Zimbabwe programme is for youths aged between18-35 and it ensures patriotism and empowers them for nation building through life skills training and leadership development.

“The only issue is we have 1 000 people who are starting (Youth Service in Zimbabwe) versus 5 million youths, so the proposal that I bring is that why not make it a subject from Primary to Secondary School.

“Make it one of the key subjects that our young people are developed from the very word go; to be people who value the nation.

“The values of our nation must be inculcated in our children right from Primary School up to Secondary education.

“Rather than just make it vocational issue, make it part of our training of our young people.

“So that it can actually be made one of the conditions to go into next level of education rather than do you have Mathematics, English and other subject.

“That can be one of the conditions because our young people have been trained to respect their flag, to respect their nation, to respect their ubuntu values, to respect all that.

“Then it becomes very pertinent and critical, so we were very touched and we are very excited by that,” said Bishop Muparutsa.

He added: “what we want is let’s catch them young, so that they are not by the time we try to talk to them about drugs, we have already missed a lot. So that’s basically what we think must happen.”

Chief Director in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Elias Murinda, said the idea is to ensure that all young people aged 18 to 35 years go through this training programme.

“So you can see that we have started with just 1 000 which is just almost nothing and therefore the Ministry of Youth might not succeed in reaching out to every young person.

“And therefore the programme will need to be mainstreamed in education, both primary, higher and tertiary in churches, religious institutions.

“We have to work together this objective in molding these young people in implementing this programme.

“And government has also said our youths whom we see that have really grasped the ideals of this programme and because of the orientation that they go through; might then not engage in drug and substance abuse.

“We strongly believe that the programme will have to reduce drug and substance abuse among young people, therefore they will be properly guided,” said Murinda.

He added that youths who go through the Youth Service in Zimbabwe will get priority or preference for enrolment in public institutions preferably they have the right qualifications that are required.

“And there are other advantages like getting access to institutions like the Police, Army, Prisons or even for those who want to further their education, so that they are better able to serve the country.

“So this is a rebranded National Youth Service training programme and we believe it will be different from the programme that we were implementing.

“And the message is we need to be working together in actually implementing the programme,” added Murinda.

While applauding the Youth Service in Zimbabwe programme, Davis Mambwe from the Zimbabwe Council of Pentecostal Churches said, those who are trained should not be seen to be violent as was associated with graduates from the former programme.

“Members from the National Youth Service were notorious for violence and people were really afraid of them because of those uniforms as some of them would terrorize even the elderly.

“So we hope with the coming in of this rebranded programme, they (youths) will be disciplined,” said Mambwe.

Minister Tino Machakaire, assured that such unruly behaviour will not be condoned as they (graduates) will be instilled with strict discipline.

Divine intervention needed to fight drug and substance abuse

**Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Tino Machakaire speaks, whilst his Deputy, Kudakwashe Mupamhanga looks on**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The Government has called on religious organisations to complement its efforts in fighting drug and substance abuse which is threatening the lives of many youths.

Speaking at a meeting with various religious leaders and representatives at his offices on Monday; Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Tino Machakaire, said there was need for divine intervention as the scourge was proving to be a menace.

He also revealed that youths had to be empowered in various business ventures like agriculture, so that they can develop themselves.

During the same meeting, the Zimbabwe Multisectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024-2030, which was launched by President Mnangagwa recently, was also presented.

“Esteemed leaders, as shepherds of the youth in our congregations and organisations, we desire to get your views and ideas on ways to effectively collaborate to empower our youths and extricate them from this bondage.

“We do acknowledge that as religious organizations, you play a critical role in shaping the development of our youth and do have programmes in place that are dedicated to moulding and guiding them as they traverse the delicate phase of transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

“These programmes promote values of compassion, empathy, tolerance, and righteousness to help youth that agriculture is not a dirty business but lucrative and profitable.

“They should start to view farming as a business and a dynamic venture that rewards if done with passion. The most important thing is to farm from an informed point of view, and in this regard, my Ministry has a Business Development Department that can give information on what to grow for both the local and export market,” said Minister Machakaire.

Similar sentiments were also echoed by his Deputy, Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, who said the challenge which the country was facing requires collective efforts.

“There is need for a whole of government approach but I would also add to say the whole of society approach, so as a Ministry, we saw it fit to say, on this challenge that we are facing, let us call and invite leaders of religious organisations.

“This meeting is crucial so that we discuss all the issues affecting the youths. We did that because we realised that there are about 5,4 million youths, so looking at the church as a constituency and other religions organisations, we realise that you do quite a lot work.

“And you are a big stakeholder in shaping the moral fibre of our youths, so as a result, it’s very important that if are doing this, we need you. It is a fact that as government, we cannot do it alone and I would like to thank the vision of our President Dr E.D Mnangagwa because he has pushed for an inclusive society, he has pushed for inclusive government, he has pushed for the inclusion of young people, women and just last week, we were at a disability expo, where we had a lot of religious organisations there.

“So that as we build our nation, we leave no-one and no place behind, everyone has a role to play, so as result when we talk about fighting drug and substance abuse, all religious organisations, be it Christian, Moslem, Jewish, whatever, we each have a role to play,” said Minister Mupamhanga.

Speaking on the sidelines of the same event, Sheikh Ishmail Duwa, Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs Zimbabwe President, said the programme was really good because in all the scriptures be it in the Quran or Bible, God abhors the taking of drugs or substances.

“Because if people just take drugs willy-nilly, then there is no development in the country so I actually think that this programme should really be driven by all religious leaders.

“And according to Islam, the taking of drugs is a great sin against God, so we really support this programme.

“So we now need to look at how we can empower the youths, because we need to look at the root cause of these problems and most of this, is being caused by unemployment,” said Sheikh Duwa.

Another religious leader, Bishop Kingstone Musarurwa Chirau from the Church of God of Africa, said he was grateful for this programme because if all the plans are implemented, the country will make great strides to eliminate the scourge.

“If this problem is left untamed, it will really ruin the youths, we will have serious challenges hence we need to deal with this once and for all. If we have lost our youths, then it will spell doom for our nation.

“But with this programme, we are bound to have a better future because our youths will stop taking drugs because religious organisations have been included.

“We need to eliminate all harmful practices which are leading our youths to take drugs and we want to thank the President for launching Drug and Substance Abuse programme; we are really grateful for this.”

ZWACT to action report findings

**Sandra Matendere, ZWACT Executive Director, flanked by Dr Onesmus Nyaude** **(left) and Allan Chaumba**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The Zimbabwe Women Against Corruption Trust (ZWACT) which recently successfully launched its report titled, “Gendered impact of land corruption and displacements on women’s access to social-economic rights in Zimbabwe”, is now working on implementing the research findings.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, ZWACT Executive Director, Sandra Matendere, said while the research was carried out in Masvingo and Manicaland, it was a fact that displacements are happening in various other provinces, hence when resources permit, they will move to other areas.

“After launching this report, our next step is to publicize our research findings, on various platforms.

“And another point of action is we are going to engage the Parliament and also local authorities, sharing with them our findings and recommendations.

“And very soon, we are going to have an engagement with the Parliamentarians and we are going to give them the recommendations and also influence policy reforms in terms of land allocation and also the reactions of the governments when displacements take place.

“These are the issues which want to be addressed, especially on compensation in terms of the gendered approach in terms of addressing these displacements,” said Matendere.

She added: “these issues of displacements are happening countrywide so if resources allow, we are going to do similar engagements and researches in various provinces so that we see which area is affected the most in terms of the land corruption so that it can be addressed.”

Matendere said in these two provinces where the research was conducted, evictions took place, leading to women experiencing a lot.

“So we went to these areas to find out how these issues of land corruption and displacements affect women and girls in those communities.

“So today we were sharing the findings from the report and basically, it shows that a lot of women who are staying there, they got the land from the traditional leaders from those communities.

“But however they didn’t have the title deeds and they were settling in State land which is not allowed for them to reside. So the issue is why are the evictions happening this year after 10 years of settling in these communities.

“So we wanted to find out how we can chip in, in terms of coming up with policies or recommendations to the policy makers on the existing legal frameworks in terms of the land distribution to have a gender lens in terms of land distribution because we have seen that the evictions were done arbitrarily without protecting the rights of women especially those with disability, they were affected by these evictions.

“And also we wanted to see the existing legal frameworks which allow people to settle and they are evicted from their communities,” she said.

Matendere added that another issue that came out from the report is that women lost their livelihoods from the evictions, as some of them were not evicted physically but emotionally. She added that in some of the court cases, the women were represented by some human rights lawyers pertaining to the evictions and they won the cases.

“Regardless of winning the case, the challenge is that they were affected psychologically because of the uncertainty of their stay in these communities, they are not sure when they will be evicted again from those communities.

“So they won’t make any meaningful developments in these communities. So it is affecting them, so they actually need support, psychologically or counselling because most of them they have been affected.

“There are also some women who are from migrant backgrounds, they bought the land from the local leadership because they don’t have anywhere they can stay, so these are their only homes, so evicting them from those places it’s a mammoth task, it’s a challenge to them, so it’s something that is affecting these women.

“So we want our policy makers to assist in terms of implementing the existing policies and also to amend the legal frameworks that are allowing the disagreement in terms of who owns which land. Because as it stands, some local authorities are allocating land and then the village heads are also allocating, so we need a single framework which is clear on who owns land, who has the power to allocate land,” she added.

Journalists urged to promote Zim as destination of choice

**Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Journalists play a critical role in promoting Zimbabwe as a safe destination of choice, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi has said.

Minister Rwodzi revealed this on Monday in Harare, during an interactive media workshop with journalists from local and international media houses.

She stated that her ministry is “an enemy to none”, hence they were going to work with journalists to tell the Zimbabwean story, which will make tourists want to visit “our national heritage.”

Minister Rwodzi also said the country was a heritage which all Zimbabweans were given by God so we should cherish it and promote it.

“As a Ministry of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, we recognize the critical role that media plays in shaping perceptions, disseminating information, driving positive change and highlighting our natural wonders, cultural heritage, as this is instrumental in attracting visitors and investors alike.

“Your role extends beyond reporting; it is about shaping narratives, influencing perceptions, and inspiring confidence in Zimbabwe as a safe, welcoming, and vibrant destination.

“As a Ministry, we are grateful to each member of the media for your tireless efforts in showcasing Zimbabwe’s diverse tourism offerings to the world.

“Your presence here underscores the importance of our dialogue in fostering understanding, transparency, and collaboration,” she said.

**Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa**

Similar sentiments were also echoed by her Deputy, Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa, who said such media engagements were critical in creating partnerships which help to drive country’s tourism.

He reiterated that for the country to be marketed as a destination of choice, the media had a critical role to ensure that is achieved by telling the good Zimbabwean story.

“Our ministry is the only ministry which was given the mandate by his Excellency (President Mnangagwa) to sell the country, selling it in a good way. And any company which does sales, has sales representatives or agents whom you send out with the product, and the agents are sitting in front of us.

“It’s you (journalists) who should market the country. But sometimes there is always an issue of sensational reporting, because apparently it pays to write negative things, but be at forefront to market your country.

“Be at the forefront to tell the true story about Zimbabwe. There is so much development in the country; we are under sanctions but look at what we are doing, we are progressing. Those are some of the stories that you need to talk about.

“If I were a King, I was going to Knight all of you, who will go and tell the true Zimbabwean story,” said Minister Mnangagwa.

He also emphasized that journalists should protect their country, as he also echoed President Mnangagwa’s mantra, “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.”

“That is your role, you build the image of the country, you have thousands and millions of followers in your groups, tell the Zimbabwean story, so that we build our country and we move forward.

“It is a benefit for everyone, and as visitors come, the country will also benefit,” added Minister Mnangagwa.