Invitation to an Art Talk by Mr Saki Mafundikwa  @ Hellenic International Academy 31 May 2012

Hellenic is pleased to announce that this terms Art Talk will be given by the Founder and Director of ZIVA:  Mr Saki Mafundikwa.  If you are discussing typography in Africa then you will come across Saki Mafundikwa who is a visionary graphic artist that has influenced typography and graphic design all around the world. He holds a Masters of Fine Art at Yale and a BA in Telecommunications and Fine Arts from Indiana  University. He left a successful design career in New York to return to his home country and open Zimbabwe’s first Graphic Design and New Media School in Harare called the Institute of Vigital Arts (ZIVA).

Saki is the author of ‘Afrikan Alphabets: The story of writing in Afrika’, a comprehensive review of African writing systems. He has participated in exhibitions and workshops around the world, contributed to a variety of publications and lectured about the globalization of design and the African aesthetic. His ambition is nothing less than to jump-start an African renaissance. We are honored to say that Saki will be talking about Afrikan Alphabets at Hellenic Academy. This will be a rare treat to hear such an accomplished artist and writer.

Thursday, 31 May, at 5.30 in the Art Room , Hellenic International Academy, 42-26 Basset Crescent, New Alexandra Park, Harare Refreshments will be served.  No tickets required (voluntary donation on door).

Work in and for Zimbabwe. Help grow our nation. Check out the vacancies below. If you’d like to receive this sort of information, as well as civic and human rights updates, by email each week drop us a note saying “subscribe” to info [at] kubatana [dot] net

Please note that the job vacancies we carry are related to the NGO and civil society sectors only.

2 (Two) vacancies: Mercy Corps
Deadline: 24 May 2012

1. WASH/Information Officer (Harare based)

With funding from OFDA, Joint Initiative (JI) will be implementing an urban WASH program that mainly focuses on environmental health, hygiene promotion/behaviors, sanitation and water supply. The broad aim of the program is to build community resilience to WASH disease shocks through capacity building, public-private partnership approaches and promoting cost effective water and sanitation technological innovations. The program will work closely with the Local Authorities and the Environmental and Health Alliance (EHA) members.

This position is a key team player who will be responsible for assisting in the implementation of the WASH activities as well as supporting the information management and research component of the JI program. Implementation responsibilities will include assisting the Mutare-based team in community mobilization, selection and training of health promoters and community and school health club facilitators and monitoring the applied aspect of health club learning. In addition, the position will assist with implementation of targeted WASH hardware interventions (rooftop rainwater harvesting, solid waste disposal), income generating activities and social marketing for access to household water treatment products. The incumbent will work closely with the JI partners and target communities to improve community knowledge, behavior and promote best practices in water, sanitation, health and hygiene. Information management and research responsibilities will be focused on WASH as well, including identifying and compiling best practices in the sector, as well as monitoring partners’ performance, training partners on WASH related issues and ensuring that program is implemented according to sub grant agreements. The WASH information officer, in liaison with the program manager and the M&E officer, will lead the consortium in baseline, mid-term and end of project surveys as well as program report writing.

2. WASH Officer (Mutare Based)

This position is a key team player who will be responsible for community mobilization, selection of health promoters and community and school health club facilitators and monitoring the applied aspect of health club learning. The program requires active engagement with retailers in the roll out of social marketing programs for household water treatment products. The WASH officer will also be responsible for implementing targeted hardware interventions around solid waste management and rooftop rainwater harvesting. The incumbent will work closely with the local authorities and target communities to improve community knowledge, behavior and promote best practices in water, sanitation, health and hygiene. In addition to supporting rehabilitative works, access to household water treatment and health and hygiene promotion, this position will assist with the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for the project.

Qualifications required
-Minimum 3 years’ field experience in water and sanitation program, experience in urban contexts preferred
-Minimum 5 years field experience in project management, research and information management
-Degree in development work or water and sanitation related studies
-Market development and/or private sector experience preferred
-Strong knowledge of community approaches (PRA, PHAST, and PHHE)
-Good writing and research skills
-Strong computer skills especially MS Word and Excel

To apply, please send a covering letter describing your interest, qualifications, salary requirements, references and all official documents including your CV to Mercy Corps Human Resources at hr [at] zw [dot] mercycorps [dot] org or drop off your application to Mercy Corps, 73 Harare Drive, Mt Pleasant, Harare. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Senior Manager/Engineer: GIZ
Deadline: 28 May 2012 (12 noon)

The Government of Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany are jointly funding the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Support Programme under implementation through GIZ. In this context GIZ seeks to recruit a Senior Manager/Engineer for a fixed term contract of approximately 2 years starting in August 2012. Duty station: Bulawayo. Regular trips to Harare and other duty stations for meetings with other members of the GIZ-team will be required.

Reporting to the Programme Manager and in cooperation with the City of Bulawayo, the Manager/Engineer will be tasked with the design, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of GIZ-intervention measures in Bulawayo.

Job description/responsibilities
-Coordinate and align GIZ-interventions with the interventions of the City of Bulawayo and the interventions of other partners of the City of Bulawayo.
-Prepare and coordinate a work programme in close cooperation with the Programme Manager and the Heads of the Technical Team and the Finance Team, and monitor performance of interventions in technical as well as financial and institutional areas against the work programme.
-In close cooperation with the Head of the Technical Team (GIZ) regularly review the repair, rehabilitation and replacement needs, and define the timing and scope of interventions.
-In close cooperation with the Head of the Finance Team (GIZ) regularly review the need, timing and scope of interventions in the areas of accounting, billing, collection, customer care etc.
-Identify needed equipment and supplies and coordinate procurements with the City of Bulawayo and GIZ.
-Prepare Terms of Reference for contractors, consultants, NGOs and supervise their work.
-Support Capacity Development in the City of Bulawayo in technical and financial areas and support interventions in operation and maintenance, process design and management.
-Supervise, manage and direct other GIZ-staff at the duty station.
-Maintain regular contact and dialogue between the GIZ-team and other stakeholders.
-Report regularly on interventions and progress to both the City of Bulawayo and the Programme Manager.

The ideal applicant holds a university degree in engineering with a post graduate qualification in water supply, sanitation and management. Holding both, an engineering degree and a MBA will be of advantage. He or she has at least 10 years of professional working experience in engineering and management, and in municipal water supply, sanitation, and solid waste management in particular. He or she has held management positions, has at least three years working experience in the private sector and at least five years working experience in Zimbabwe. And of course, he or she has experience with Capacity Development in water sector organisations, good leadership skills, an excellent command of the English language as well as proficiency in MS Office. Applicants are requested to submit electronic copies of their CV and application letter in PDF-format to: GIZ-zimbabwe [at] giz [dot] de

The subject of your email application must read: Senior Manager/Engineer Water. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered, and only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Logistics Officer: UNICEF
Deadline: 3 June 2012

Vacancy Notice No. Zim/2012:23
NOB Level
(Fixed Term Post)

Purpose of the Job
The successful candidate will be under the supervision of the Logistics Specialist, and will be responsible for the management of the UNICEF Distribution Center (DC) and distribution of supplies for the UNICEF assisted Programs in Zimbabwe. He or She will supervise the daily management of the DC and other incoming supplies for in country distributions in line with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) rules and regulations.  The incumbent will provide technical and operational support to the Programmes Sections, Government counterparts and take initiative in management improvements for logistics functions that are mainly related to warehousing and distribution.

The incumbent will supervise the DC in organizing receipts and timely dispatch of supplies to end users as per distribution plans, supervise Warehouse Assistants and prepare weekly reports on fleet and supplies movements. The incumbent will work closely with the government counterparts to ensure that UNICEF assisted supplies are being dispatched in a timely manner.

He or she will also monitor the contingency stocks carefully and advise program sections on a monthly basis on the stock status for either replacement or reordering, and manage the periodic inventory counting; ensuring stock is managed and accounted for as per IPSAS (FIFO) standards. There will other quality assurance activities as well.

The role also liaises with storage and transport providers and provides quality oversight over conditions of contractual agreement.

Qualifications and Competencies
-Degree in commercial field with specialization in SCM- Logistics & transport or related field.
-At least five years of relevant professional work experience in supply/logistics operations.
-Initiative, passion and commitment to UNICEF’s mission and professional values.
-Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment

If you have experience of working in a similar capacity, meet the above profile and want to make an active and lasting contribution to build a better world for children, send your application quoting vacancy notice number to the following address:

Human Resources Manager
(Vacancy Notice No. 23: Zim-2012)
UNICEF, 6 Fairbridge Avenue,
P O Box 1250
Belgravia, Harare

Or email: hararevacancies [at] gmail [dot] com

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Senior Programme Officer Governance (full time): Hivos
Deadline: 8 June 2012

The job
The Hivos Project on strengthening accountable governance aims to strengthen citizen agency to improve governance and to defend basic human rights. As a senior member of the project team, and reporting to the Principal Adviser, the programme officer contributes constructively and positively to Hivos policies in this field; initiates and coordinates innovative and creative programmes and initiatives that contribute to Hivos objectives, forges strong relationships and builds supportive networks with relevant stakeholders, notably in civil society.

The person
You are a qualified individual with strong analytic skill and an ability to translate analysis into meaningful interventions. You are passionate about human rights and good governance without being dogmatic. You have a creative outlook on how human rights can be protected and good governance stimulated in a non-confrontational manner. You are entrepreneurial and not afraid to try something new. You have strong communication skills, both orally as in writing. You are a good networker with a proven ability to mobilize your network in support of the project’s objectives.

Qualifications
-An academic background, with a Master’s degree in a relevant field.
-Verifiable experience in governance, rights and citizenship.
-Experience in downstream accountability is an asset.
-A minimum of ten years of relevant work experience.
-Strong networking skills, ability to mobilize networks in support of the programme objectives.
-Proven experience in project management and implementation.
-Track record in programme development in the field of good governance and human rights.
-Affinity with developmental, political and socio-economic issues.
-Preparedness and ability to travel.

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

The post is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Hivos welcomes applications from citizens from South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia but only with a valid work permit for Zimbabwe and can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.

If you meet the above-mentioned qualifications (please look carefully), send a letter explaining your motivation and your CV to: chuma [at] hivos [dot] co [dot] zw

Or deliver to:
Hivos
20 Phillips Avenue
Belgravia
Harare

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Programme Assistant (full time): Hivos
Deadline: 8 June 2012

The job
The Hivos Project on strengthening accountable governance aims to strengthen citizen agency to improve governance and to defend basic human rights. As a member of the project team, and reporting to the Principal Adviser, the Programme Assistant provides administrative, financial, logistical and secretarial support to enable the efficient and effective implementation of the project. This includes collecting information, maintaining records, preparing documentation and correspondence and performing a variety of information gathering, monitoring, technical and administrative services of moderate scope and difficulty, pertaining to, and in support of, the project’s activities.

The person
You are a disciplined and organized individual with at least five years of relevant experience in programme work, including financial reporting. You have had previous experience with an international NGO and have strong communication skills, both orally and in writing. You have strong drafting and analytical skills and the ability to work in a concise and organized manner. You have excellent knowledge of MS Office, database and Internet use.

Qualifications
-An academic background, preferably with degree or diploma in a relevant field.
-Verifiable experience in working on governance, rights and citizenship programmers.
-Experience in downstream accountability is an asset.
-A minimum of five years of relevant work experience.
-Proven experience in project administration, management and implementation.
-Track record in programme development in the field of good governance and human rights.
-Affinity with developmental, political and socio-economic issues.
-Preparedness and ability to travel.

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

The post is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Hivos welcomes applications from citizens from South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia but only with a valid work permit for Zimbabwe and can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.

If you meet the above-mentioned qualifications (please look carefully), send a letter explaining your motivation and your CV to: chuma [at] hivos [dot] co [dot] zw

Or deliver to:
Hivos
20 Phillips Avenue
Belgravia
Harare

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (full time): Hivos
Deadline: 8 June 2012

The job
The Hivos Project on strengthening accountable governance aims to strengthen citizen agency to improve governance and to defend basic human rights. As a member of the project team, and reporting to the Principal Adviser, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer is responsible for guiding the overall M&E strategy and implementation of related activities within the project and via partners, as well as providing timely and relevant information to programme stakeholders. The M&E Officer will set up the M&E system and ensure it is implemented effectively by the key stakeholders and implementing partners.

The person
You are a qualified individual with strong analytic skills and an ability to translate analysis into meaningful interventions. You are passionate about human rights and good governance without being dogmatic. You have a creative outlook on how human rights can be protected and good governance stimulated in a non-confrontational manner. You are entrepreneurial and not afraid to try something new. You have strong communication skills, both orally as in writing. You are a good networker with a proven ability to mobilize your network in support of the project’s objectives.

Qualifications
-A degree in a field related to development and/or management and experience in field research.
-At least 5 to10 years’ experience in the field.
-Proven experience with the logical framework approach and other strategic planning approaches.
-Proven experience in M&E methods and approaches (including quantitative, qualitative and participatory).
-Proven experience in planning and implementation of M&E systems. ‘
-Proven experience in training in M&E development and implementation.
-Proven experience in facilitating learning-oriented analysis sessions of M&E data with multiple stakeholders.
-Proven experience in information analysis and report writing.
-A solid understanding of development, with a focus on participatory processes, joint management, and gender issues.
-Advanced computer skills.

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

The post is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Hivos welcomes applications from citizens from South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia but only with a valid work permit for Zimbabwe and can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.

The post is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Hivos welcomes applications from citizens from South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia but only with a valid work permit for Zimbabwe and can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.

If you meet the above-mentioned qualifications (please look carefully), send a letter explaining your motivation and your CV to: chuma [at] hivos [dot] co [dot] zw

Or deliver to:
Hivos
20 Phillips Avenue
Belgravia
Harare

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Volunteer: African Mobility Organisation (AMO)
Deadline: 31 May 2012

The African Mobility Organization (AMO) is a Zimbabwean trust that seeks to put the youth at the forefront of Africa’s development. The organisation was created as a direct response to the urgent need for Pan-African policies and programs that empower the local people, particularly the youth, to be on the move and take responsibility and ownership of the fate of their communities.

AMO is seeking to recruit the following posts: N.B.
-The person’s assigned these posts will be volunteers
-AMO is an equal opportunity employer
-All positions are full time

Researchers – Book of African Records

Background
Over the centuries Africa has received negative publicity which has created an impartial image of the continent whilst drowning the contemporary and historical achievements of the African peoples and civilizations over millennia. Over the years it has become clearly understood that none but the African people themselves must give a voice and accentuation to their own accomplishments and contributions to global civilizations. The AMO through the educational elements of the Book of African Records (BAR) project seeks to give the African people a voice thereby enabling them to give prominence to their own accomplishments and contributions to global civilization. The BAR is unprecedented, educational, scientific, and informative and will become an inspirational reference point on all facts African.

Goal: To research and compile measurable African facts for entry into the BAR

Essential duties and responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Editor-in-Chief and Project Coordinator, the Researchers will perform the following duties:
-To provide support required in the research and compilation of measurable African facts in an assigned discipline for entry into the Book of African Records
-To provide administrative and logistical support as required, which will include requesting and keeping records of stationery and other utilities, and ensuring maintenance and securing of all organisational utilities and assets
-To facilitate on job training for personal and peer growth
-To compile weekly and monthly reports of progress pointing to meeting of assigned objectives

Requisite skills
-Strong analytical skills
-Motivated, with the ability to work with minimal supervision
-Proven desktop and field research expertise
-Extensive computer skills, including email and Internet

To apply email an Expression of Interest to mdkubwalo [at] africanmobility [dot] org or call on +263 779 923372 for more information.

Jambile: The Silence

As the water retreats deeper into the Kalahari sands
the Teaks draw back their sap in a last flush of gold
settling in for the long wait till the next rains

The beginning of the dry season

In a last bustle of activity
ants and termites on the pan edges
collect the remains of dry grass stalks and seeds
from now on, the only nourishment  will be the occasional elephant droppings
but the pans have dried out and there is nothing to call them back

Silence

Even the hornbills are still
and a soft underbelly of sound
as Teak leaves fall to the sand

Suddenly a bustle and flurry and excited cackle
as the guinea fowl arrive
scratching and scraping and scattering the droppings
in enthusiastic appreciation at the delicacies on offer
then scurry off in a wavering line
to their roost for the night

Silence as the sun sets
The universe hangs low over our heads

As we watch through the mosquito netting of our tents
we become part of the stars

Scorpio rising
as Orion safely slips over the eastern horizon with Sirius at his heels
safe from his sting for yet another night

A lion roars in the far distance
and an Elephant trumpets from the pan

Three days of almost-silence

Mandavu Dam: Diversity

We drive through the changing patterns of the park
deep sands of ancient dunes marked by increasing height of trees
where teak changes to Mopane
and Kalahari sands change to mudstones
and the Acacia and Terminalia grow by the pans
and Jesse bush crowns the hard compact soils of the ‘inbetweens’

The dam is filled with water
a place where millions of lives overlap in a dance around this abundance
hundreds of elephant and buffalo,
buck, zebra, giraffe
crocs slide through the silky surface of still waters
bask on the banks,
hippo call all day and night
birds pick crumbs at your feet
butterflies abound in the last flowering Capperacae
and a colony of Dassies in the rocks below
shuffle around for a place in the sun

From the monastery to New York!
So much life!

At night is a continual rustle and scurry of camp creatures
and an alarming cracking and breaking as two elephant eat the bushes by Mel’s tent

In the morning we wake to the discovery that our tents are covered
in small yellow stink bugs
who stay with us for the rest of the journey

Sinamatella: The Edge

We sit on the edge of the cliffs looking south
hundreds of miles of wilderness to the Botswana pans

Behind us, the luxury of a national parks cottage
a hot bath
electricity

This is an old, well-known haunt
we haven’t visited for 8 years

The restaurant is now ragged
elephants and baboons pulling at the thatch
lodges are empty of visitors

We walk to the eastern end to visit our old friends,
the Commiphora trees
strange green trunks weaving out of the barren rocks on the edge of the world

but they are gone
trashed, slashed, smashed to the grounds
elephants?
but a ranger explains that they did it
for the tourists
‘For them to enjoy the view’

What destruction we bring for the most trifling of reasons

Outside the gate to the north lurks another monster
the extending arms of the Coal mine move closer to the park
as Zimbabwe forges ahead in providing energy for the nation

Elephant prints mingle in the coal dust and tracks of huge trucks
their ancient pathways disrupted by our growing destruction

Nature is held to ransom at the hands of man

Matopas: The Magic

Ancient granite mountains leaning into the skies around us

This is where Zimbabweans of all tribes have come for hundreds of years
to speak with the spirits
asking for advice and guidance

In the stillness there seems to be a question

‘how do we bring peace to our nation?’
‘behave as humans in respectful relationship with all things’

Scorpio rises again as Orion slips down to meet the horizon

old patterns
of ancient cycles
into new spirals

The stillness, the diversity, the edge and the magic

It is sad to be reminded that negotiations for the Zimbabwe Independence Constitution held in 1979 at the Lancaster House in London were made without the inclusion of women. According to one woman activist the only female present had gone solely for the upkeep of the men, like to make sure they were fed on time. Various movements and efforts by government and civil society have brought about a change in the order of this. One body that has greatly worked for the inclusion of women participation in constitution making matters is the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe. They have worked to ensure women’s rights are met and have took a step further to advocate for women’s inclusion in governance.

The WCoZ according to their website is described as, “A network of women rights activists and women’s organizations with national structures. The WCoZ is a forum where women meet to engage in collective activism on issues affecting women and girls in Zimbabwe. Its central role is to provide a focal point for activism on women and girl’s rights”. Among the commendable work they have done is to fight for the increase in participation of women in the constitution making processes in Zimbabwe.

The Inclusive Government, which agreed to pen a new constitution before electing a new president, saw the formation of COPAC, which is co-chaired by three representatives from the three parties that are signatories to the Government of National Unity. Speaking at a FFT session at the US Embassy Public Affairs Section Netsai Mushonga, a representative of WCoZ, gave an analysis of the organisation’s work in pushing for the inclusion of women in both the constitution making process and in the constitution itself. One of COPAC’s steps in the constitution making process was that of getting information of what Zimbabweans need included in the constitution. They created outreach teams but men outnumbered women in these teams. This led to a petition being made by the women’s movement for the engagement of more women in the outreach teams and the figures rose from 10% to 25%. They went on further to advocate for women engagement in the Thematic Committees and managed to get 37% representation of women.

Moving to the constitution itself, the WCoZ clearly spells out its demands for women in the constitution and they list five minimum demands on their site which include: the quota system for women’s political participation; socio-economic rights; non-discrimination (all forms of disability); customary law subject to the Bill of Rights; and access to and control of resources. Netsai Mushonga indicated that the current draft constitution by COPAC had met at least 80% of their needs. She said the forum had vowed to continue advocating for the remaining 20% to ensure full achievement of women’s rights in the constitution. Their decision to vote for or against the constitution will only be made when they have the constitution in their hands. She likened the constitution-making process to a train that moves from New Delhi to Bombay in India, which is overloaded with people entering through the windows, but still makes it to its final destination. Likewise, the constitution making process might not be the best ride in town but one day it will reach its final destination.

A weekend full of events for Mark Zuckerberg. It began with Facebook going public on Friday and share prices jumped from $38 to $42; thanks to my subscription and yours too as a Facebook user. And on Saturday Mark got married in private. Yes it was a private event with no uninvited guests including me – His Friend on Facebook. I didn’t even get a word – not even a small e-card for the wedding. I just saw photos on Monday morning. I was very bitter about this. Mark Zuckerberg got married in private and yet he wants everyone on Facebook to know our business with those third party applications.  Facebook is good but not with the nasty requests for my personal data which keep on coming from the third party applications that Facebook introduced on its social networking platform. The reason why the Facebook founder decided to go private for his wedding clearly shows that there is no privacy on Facebook.