Mobile phones have played an important role in bridging the information gap with the use of SMS and Whatsapp to mention just a couple. In Zimbabwe a great majority of the population own a mobile handset with a greater proportion having access to the Internet on their phone. Many think that phones are merely used to convey messages but smart phones have changed the dynamics. I know a book, Diary of a Zulu Girl, which was written using a mobile phone.

I was privileged to participate in the Mobile Community Zimbabwe (MCZ) project. According to their website: “MCZ is a project that gives ambitious young Zimbabweans a voice and a platform to share and exchange information through mobile telephony, video and social media. Using an application called StoryMaker, the MCZ project equips young Zimbabweans from across the country with skills to use mobile phones to tell effective stories about themselves and their communities.”

I attended a one-week training where a group of other enthusiastic young Zimbabweans from different walks of life were trained to use the software application StoryMaker on our mobile phones. With the aim of promoting citizen journalism MCZ encouraged participants to tell those untold stories in our communities.

I appreciate that MCZ made me open my eyes to various challenges and activities going on in communities. Without MCZ I would have not spent a day feeding children in Mbare at a soup kitchen. Without MCZ I would have not met the mentally challenged women at Harare Central Hospital who make beautiful bags to generate income to take their mind away from the stressing issues of life that cause depression.

Despite the repressive media laws in the country which inhibit such projects, a lot of participants went out of their way to make MCZ a success as evidenced by the video stories published on their website. For me my journey has been fruitful. MCZ has taught and equipped me to tell video stories. I have made friendships, which support my different spheres of life. A big thanks to Free Press and trainers for making this journey possible.

“Amid reports of election rigging and continuing human rights abuses, Zimbabwe is the last country that should be legitimised by a UN summit of any kind. The notion that the UN should spin this country as a lovely tourist destination is, frankly, sickening.” Hillel Neuer, head of the Geneva-based group, UN Watch

Photo by ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images

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Driving out of the shopping centre where I work requires a deep breath, extreme concentration, and a small miracle each afternoon. Traffic can come at you from at least 5 different directions, and there typically isn’t much clear or agreed sense amongst the drivers who should be where,  who should yield to whom, or where one should, or shouldn’t park. The picture  below gives a sense of the chaos:

So, one might think that the presence of Zimbabwe Republic Police Traffic Section at this intersection would be a good thing. They could direct the traffic, clarify the no parking zones, and generally ease congestion and accident potential there.

Unfortunately, as I experienced this morning, their presence instead seems to create even more potential accidents, as they pull cars over into non-existent shoulders, causing cars to back up into the road and risk rear-ending one another. It’s hard also, when you see police here, not to assume they’re more interested in taking a few bribes than they are in enforcing road safety.

So, I phoned the police to find out What’s The Story.

First, I spoke to someone at nearby Highlands Police Station. That didn’t go so well.

Me: Hello – I have a question about a roadblock in Newlands. I’m not sure who the right person to speak with is?
Him: You can speak with me.
Me: Okay, thanks. Well, you see, there is this roadblock at the Newlands Shopping Centre where the shops meet the robots and its’ all very confusing there already, and so when they pull cars over it just makes more congestion and more potential accidents, and maybe they could their roadblock elsewhere, since I’m not really sure what purpose they are serving there?
Him: Are you saying they shouldn’t have their roadblock there?
Me: No, um, well, I’m just saying maybe there are other places that are better, and maybe I could speak with someone to find out why they are there?
Him: There isn’t really anyone I can recommend for you to speak with.
Me: Oh. All right then. Thank you anyway.

I had more luck with Inspector Nuta at the Traffic Section. I explained the situation, and he clarified a few things:

1. It’s only a road block if there are 8 or more police officers, drums, and “police ahead” signs. If there isn’t all of that, it is a traffic blitz.
2. At Newlands, the traffic blitz is there to enforce the stop sign for the drivers coming along the old road towards town.
3. Because there is no parking for cars the police pull over there, the police have been instructed to only pull over one car at a time. However, that creates problems when driver A gets pulled over for not stopping – But then sees drivers B, C and D not stopping and not getting pulled over – So sometimes police pull over more cars (and create more problems).

I suggested that maybe rather than trying to enforce that one stop sign, they could rather invest in better road markings for the whole of the area, so that it’s more clear for all of the traffic who has right of way where. Nuta said this was a fair point and would raise it with his superiors. Of course, I have no way of knowing if he will, but at least their PR machinery has clearly given the Traffic Section some helpful lessons in managing customer complaints and speaking with the public.

I also mentioned a possible “traffic blitz” I’ve seen on Ridgeway / Kew Drive a few times recently. That, Nuta thought, might not be a legal one, and could instead be a case of people misrepresenting the police. He gave me his number and that for his Officer In Charge, and asked that the next time I see them I phone him so that he could “race to the scene” to confirm whether “they are ours.”

It’s easy to get frustrated with the police in Zimbabwe, and assume that every encounter with them will be pointless and aggravating. But this morning’s phone call was a very positive experience. If you are in Harare and have questions about a road block, traffic blitz, or other police traffic behaviour you witness, phone them to find out more, and to report potential problems.

Harare Traffic Section: 04-460268
Inspector Nuta: 0772 929 172
OIC Traffic Chief Inspector Sabau 0772 910 590

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Project Lawyer: Local NGO
Deadline: 26 August 2013

Location: Bulawayo

A vacancy has arisen in a local NGO for the post of a Project Lawyer based in Bulawayo.

Required personal information is as follows:
-Degree in Law
-Registered Legal Practitioner with at least one year experience in civil and criminal litigation
-Strong background in project and financial management
-Good communication skills, co – ordination, monitoring and evaluation skills
-Computer skills (PowerPoint, word etc)
-Should be fluent in Ndebele
-A valid driver’s licence is a must.

To apply
Applicants to email their detailed curriculum vitae to: projectofficerbyo [at] gmail [dot] com and produce original copies of their certificates during the interview.

M & E Officer: Local NGO
Deadline: 26 August 2013

Purpose of the Job
The Monitoring and Evaluation officer is responsible for monitoring and following up project activities among participating organisations.

Overall responsibilities
-In liaison with Funding Partner develop data collection tools for project activities
-Undertake the monitoring and evaluation activities in support of other team members
-Ensure maintenance of accurate records by the organisation and participating organisations
-Monitors the implementation of planned activities
-Collects, reviews, analyses and interpret data for planning purposes
-Formulates, reviews and maintains a sound and effective reporting system
-Provides technical support for monitoring and evaluation of the project
-Contribute to the organisational learning by preparing and disseminating data on lessons learned, good practices and statistical evidence of the program achievements
-Participate in activities to disseminate programme evaluation findings
-Prepares and compiles progress reports monthly and quarterly for project activities.

Minimum qualifications and experience
-First degree in development studies, social sciences, or a relevant field
-Diploma in M&E, experience in home based care or palliative care an added advantage
-A minimum of five years’ experience in community work, two of which should be in monitoring and evaluation and/or operational research
-Working experience in designing and implementing evaluation strategies
-Excellent documentation and data analysis skills of both quantitative and qualitative nature
-Highly computer literate in Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint, SPSS, EPI Info or any other statistical tools
-Highly innovative and a self starter
-Fluent in national languages Ndebele, Shona and English
-A clean class four driver’s licence

To apply
If you are interested and meet the above requirements please send your application letter, detailed CV and copies of your certificates to the following: fadzaic [at] zwla [dot] co [dot] zw
Successful candidate to start immediately

Physiotherapist: Sport 4 Socialisation (S4S)
Deadline: 27 August 2013

Location: Mutare, Zimbabwe
Start date: 1 September 2013
Duration: 4 months, with possibility to extend

Sport 4 Socialisation
Children with disabilities are often hidden, locked-up and isolated from society. Nobody believes in their potential. But S4S does! The only precondition is an encouraging environment.

We empower the children to break out from their isolation and surprise society with their potential. We inspire, encourage and coach them to move boundaries. We create lasting change, by involving the whole community.

We strengthen them via physiotherapy and adapted physical activity. We connect them with able-bodied as well as disabled peers and teach them to stand up for themselves in society. We teach families how to deal with disability and fend for themselves economically. During the whole process, we keep monitoring progress. So we can achieve maximum potential. And we inspire, encourage and coach the community to
change their minds about disability.

Background
Sport 4 Socialisation (S4S) is working in Zimbabwe since 2008. From the Eastern border Town Mutare, where the S4S headquarters is based, we work very hard on the implementation of our multiple award winning Social Inclusion Programme. We support children with disabilities and their families with adapted and inclusive physical activities, physiotherapy, healthcare, parent support groups and livelihood development.

Over 500 children and their families are supported through this programme.

Role of the Physiotherapist
In general the Physiotherapist shall be responsible for the running of the physiotherapy clinic and the casting room. Under the physiotherapist programme we have several sub-programmes:
-Intakes and assessments
-Physiotherapy (incl. casting)
-Direct Child Support (medication, corrective surgeries and assistive devices)
-Disability maintenance and awareness training.

Key tasks and responsibilities
-Organise and implement intake and assessments with (new) beneficiaries and their families
-Implement physiotherapy therapy activities on a daily basis for children with a disability
-Build and maintain a database for all beneficiaries including a Monitoring and Evaluation system
-Develop Individual Rehabilitation Plans with beneficiaries and their families and monitor and evaluate the progress of the beneficiaries
-Assess and plan individual child interventions (medication, corrective surgeries and assistive devices etc.) and provide follow ups of interventions done through home visits, school visits and group meetings
-Mediate for Direct Child Assistance (medication, corrective surgeries, assistive devices etc.)
-Maintain and improve relations with partners and stakeholders, especially with medical partners for individual child interventions
-Be responsible for the maintenance of the therapy equipment
-Prepare periodic evaluation reports
-Prepare periodic work plans, incl. budget.

Key requirements and skills

Education
-Bachelor of physiotherapy
-Work experience and knowledge
-Proven experience in a similar position
-Proven paediatric experience
-Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation
-Excellent written and verbal English communication skills
-Computer literate, excellent with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Personality
Proactive; Good and open communicator who is a critical thinker and has a strong personality; A professional orientation to work; Impeccable integrity; Committed; Dedicated.

Remuneration
Between US$600 – US$700 – depending on level of experience plus Medical AID
and transport reimbursement.

To apply
Applications: Cover letter and CV (2 separate documents) only via email to: office.zimbabwe [at] sport4socialisation [dot] org with “Physiotherapist” in the subject line.