There is a programme on ZTV, Another Chance, that focuses on reuniting prison inmates and their families. More of like reaching out to the gap that exists between individuals in prison and their families back home. In so doing they ask for forgiveness from their family and the ones they offended when they committed the crimes that saw them sent to jail. I remember in one episode a man who was left with two months of his sentence trying to reach out to his wife and family. When the Another Chance crew visited the wife, she said in the four years her husband had been in prison she had moved on with her life and that to her, the marriage was over. Sadly this is how he learnt his marriage had dissolved. He was devastated and was really worried about where he would go after his release as his wife had abandoned him and his relatives were probably going to shun him.

Many ex-convicts face such scenarios when they finish serving their jail terms. Upon facing such challenges many commit crimes again within a short period of time upon their release and end up going back to prison. Speaking at a Prison Networking meeting organised by Miracle Mission, Elisha Chidombwe of ZACRO (Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of the Offender), mentioned that there is no support offered to people who are released from prison. For instance if one stays in Mutare and serves their jail term in Kariba, upon their release there is no clothing, transportation or any other form of support given to them. This encourages them to commit crimes.

At the same meeting an ex-convict said how proud he is of going back to prison not as a prisoner this time, but as Minister of the Word to share his life experiences both in prison, and his life after the jail term. To him receiving Jesus Christ as His Lord and Saviour whilst in the prison cells, and the support he got from his family upon his release, have been the two strongest pillars in his life. He believes himself to be a better man and would like to reach out to inmates serving in Zimbabwe’s prisons under a prison programme organised by Alpha Zimbabwe.

The Alpha for Prisons programme offers courses to introduce inmates to Christian beliefs. Thus there is need for the government, the church, NGOs and the corporate world to help in the support of prisoners both in prison and their life after they serve their jail terms. Through their work in prisons Alpha Zimbabwe realised some of the needs of prisoners are really small. For example prisoners at Karoi prison requested vegetable seeds so they could start their own gardens.

Zimbabwe is planning to expand its circumcision campaign to include newly-born babies as part of the country’s fight against the spread of HIV and AIDS, a senior health ministry official has confirmed.

The ministry’s AIDS and TB unit co-ordinator, Getrude Ncube said a pilot project targeting babies between one and 28 days old would be launched before year end with the full programme likely to be rolled out in 2014.

“The project will start in Harare and Bulawayo,” Ncube said adding that, gradually, all maternity sites across the country would be circumcising newly born babies by 2014.

“Although circumcising neonates will not have an immediate an impact, results will show in 20 years’ time. Our sole aim is to try and reduce new HIV infections.”

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The 2010/2011 Zimbabwe Health Demographic Survey report revealed that there was a mistaken belief among circumcised men that the surgery protects them from HIV infection. Shocking as it is, some men misconstrue male circumcision to be the ‘invisible condom’. Also men, who are HIV negative and are aware of it, become vulnerable when they believe that circumcision renders them immune to HIV. This undermining of condom usage and safe-sex practices in the end results in an increase in the transmission of HIV. This hinders the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. For the thousands of males undergoing the male circumcision surgery each year, male circumcision only helps them to reduce their chances of contracting HIV.

Some people also believe that circumcised men are HIV negative. The fact that there is no HIV screening before one is circumcised therefore does not go to show that circumcised males are HIV negative. In a report by WHO/UNAIDS it states that, “HIV-positive men and men who do not know their HIV status should not be denied male circumcision. This latter position reflects the possibility that denying male circumcision on the basis of HIV status could increase stigma among HIV-positive men who are not circumcised and increase the chances that HIV-positive men will seek surgery from unsafe or poorly-trained providers if they are turned away from medical points of service.”

Research also points out that women are not much protected by male circumcision. They state that the woman is at risk if sex is resumed before the wound has completely healed. Also in cases where their male partners are HIV positive and do not engage in safe sex methods because they have been circumcised, puts the woman at high risk of contracting HIV. This calls for an effective communication strategy in the health sector. Health communication strategies that are collaboratively and strategically designed, implemented, and evaluated using known attitudes and perceptions can help to improve awareness and knowledge of male circumcision in a significant and lasting way.

For instance adverts in Zimbabwe on male circumcision read, “I am smart I have been circumcised”, it can be of much better benefit if they read, “I have been circumcised I still use my condom”.

On World Population Day this year, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his speech said, “Women and young people who are in good health, and who have the power and means to make their own decisions about how many children to have and when to have them are better able to contribute to the development of their societies.” This is very encouraging to young people in Zimbabwe. To say young women and girls have no access to family planning is true largely because of society stereotypes and ignorance. Being raised in societies where premarital sex is rejected makes it difficult for one to make use of contraceptives before they are married. Our societies would take a big blow in the face and would find it difficult to call for abstinence if they were to accept that young people engage in sexual activities before they are married. Abstinence is the best and safest method, but on the ground we have young people engaging themselves in risky sexual behaviours. Which places them at risk of unwanted pregnancies, as well as contracting STIs and HIV.

In a survey of 14-24 year old men and women from conducted in Harare it found that 43% of women had premarital sexual intercourse yet 80% of pregnant students did not want to be pregnant. This survey also found that even though 79.5% of the young adults knew at least one method of contraceptive and did not want to fall pregnant, 87% of the sexually active women and 83% of the sexually active men did not use them at first intercourse. Further, 64% of never married women and 71% of never married men who had intercourse in the month before the survey did not use contraceptives. The survey established that the leading reason for not using a method was ignorance.

With increased access to family planning methods made available to young girls and women in the country, we can go a long way in reducing unwanted pregnancies in this era where the number of those abstaining is on the decrease. Yes we can argue for the young girls to abstain, but when they go back to the streets, to their friends and colleges only a few will manage to abstain. So its better that they be educated. I have seen and heard stories of women in colleges and universities who defer their studies after they have fallen pregnant. Some of these never return to complete their studies. PSI believes that, ‘Women have greater access to education and employment opportunities when they control their fertility, which can enhance their own and their families’ economic status.’

With all things being equal for one to pass through the stages indicated in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs they need support from family, community and the government. When a child is born, they are provided with all basic needs by their parents or guardians and in some cases the government. They go to school when they reach school going age and proceed to university or college where later they find a job or venture into their own projects. This enables them to attain a social standing within the community thus they then move to the last stage of self-actualisation, which at times can be realised after a long period of time. In some communities every child is given the ability to go through these stages. This however, is not the case for young boys and girls in Zimbabwe’s ‘illegal’ settlement at Hatcliffe Extension.

The community has witnessed a number of evictions under Operation Murambatsvina, which has left the lives of young people marginalized. The lives of people are at threat due little or no access to basic needs such as shelter, food, education, clothing, health and sanitation. Young people growing up in such a community face various challenges. Speaking at a Food for Thought Session at the US Public Affairs Section this week, Petros Chatiza, the Programmes Coordinator of Young Achievement Sports for Development (YASD) highlighted that, when they pay fees for a pupil, the pupil can fail to make it to school because they have no access to proper food and proper health care. This shows that the challenges faced by young people interlace with each other. His organisation is thus embarking on bringing lasting change to the lives of the youths in the Hatcliffe Extension community through unconventional approaches.

The organisation states that is uses ‘unconventional approaches to move members from biological (basic) aspirations to self realisation’.  This is done through sports and arts among other activities. They provide a platform for young people to find their potential and makes use of their talents and in so doing find some level of self fulfilment. Street soccer is a main component, which they use to engage the community. As evident in any displaced community isolation can be a challenge faced by members. Hence street soccer tries to bring together every member of the community regardless of age and gender. This was a justification provided by YASD’s Information and Communication officer on why they chose soccer. The organisation now participates at the Homeless World Cup, which seeks to energise homeless people to change their lives.

Also speaking at the event were two participants from the community. Gwauya has ventured into theatre through taking part in YASD programmes in his community. He has also been privileged enough to take part in international activities representing homeless people. Emily, through her engagement in YASD’s sports programmes has undergone soccer coaching provided by one of Zimbabwe’s international based soccer players, Joel Lupahla. Today she is a coach at a local school. YASD was applauded for these testimonies. Such programmes that enable children growing up in vulnerable situations should be emulated. Thus through the work of YASD hundreds of Hatcliffe Extension’s young boys and girls are today inspired to change their lives, to live a better life and to develop their community!

It’s a shame that with all the revenue collected through tollgate fees, vehicle licenses, abnormal load fees, and the fuel levy, our roads in Zimbabwe are still in a bad state. Along one of Harare’s major roads, Second Street Extension, which connects many suburbs and leads to Mazowe and Bindura, a ‘double’ speed limit sign exists. The speed limit sign pictured has been there for the past years. Its evident that due to the nature of high traffic on the road there was a need to increase the speed limit to 70, but seriously … writing the number 7 on top of the existing number 6 is very disturbing. This illustrates the abuse of funds. Under Kubatana’s fix.this campaign, these are the many little things we would like relevant authorities to address in our communities.