Consultancy: Translation of the Advocacy Toolkit  from English to Shona and Ndebele

Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity organization that works through and with people (volunteers) to fight global poverty.VSO has been in Zimbabwe since the 1980′s and initially its mandate was sourcing and delivering human capital to government and other institutions. VSO Zimbabwe is registered under the PVO Act of 2003(PVO 27/2010).

VSO Zimbabwe is part of an international organization that operates in more than 40 countries and has over 90 years of experience in development work. During that period, VSO International has placed over 40,000 professional volunteers into different professions globally. As a result of these efforts, over 14 million children are receiving a better education and almost five million people are accessing better quality HIV and AIDS services, and over a million disabled people are better able to enforce their rights to education and health services.

VSO is always looking for new ways to turn human energy and ingenuity into lasting change. VSO Zimbabwe has send professionals to share their skills with their local counterparts as one aspect of our vibrant National Volunteering Programme. The programme is also working towards enhancing national professional volunteerism in Zimbabwe.VSO work is demand driven. We embrace a range of development methods that allow us to provide whatever kind of help is needed most, including promoting international strategies and action, knowledge brokering and youth exchanges. We no longer exclusively recruit from the developed world as over 30 per cent of our volunteers come from within the country their nationality. VSO has just initiated a South to South fellowship programme where professionals from southern countries exchange knowledge and ideas through a 60 day exchange programme. At a global level, VSO is working very closely with the Commonwealth in promoting international learning exchange visits. (Commonwealth Fellowship Programme)

Purpose of the consultancy
VSO would like to recruit a consultant / consultancy firm / company or organization to translate the Advocacy Toolkit from English to Shona and Ndebele.

Criteria for selection
-Professional knowledge in Advocacy, Governance and law.
-Professional experience of at least 3 years in translation of community interventions material to shona and Ndebele.
-Strong analytical skills and good Shona and Ndebele writing skills.
-Experience and familiarity with communication for advocacy.
-Good appreciation of effective communication and facilitation skills, with readily available examples of translated work particularly on community interventions in Zimbabwe.
-An understanding of community interventions in Zimbabwe and interpersonal communication issues is an added advantage.

TORs for the consultancy may be requested from: peter.mutoredzanwa [at] vsoint [dot] org

Please submit applications including a proposal in a sealed envelope marked “Translation – Advocacy Toolkit” no later than 12 noon on 8 February 2013 to:
The Country Director, Voluntary service Overseas, Ref: Translation – Advocacy Toolkit, Room 14 Cambitzis Building, King George Rd, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe, P.O. Box CY 1836 Causeway, Harare; or by e-mail to peter.mutoredzanwa [at] vsoint [dot] org

Call for Applications for Behind the Scenes: British Council Zimbabwe
Deadline: 25 February 2013

British Council is running an infrastructures development program for the creative sector aimed at key staff working in (or having aspirations to work in) the relevant departments in theatre, dance, drama, festivals and arts & cultural venues. Our first module runs in March in Johannesburg, South Africa and will focus on Marketing and Audience development. This two-day training programme is designed to introduce participants to the principles and practice of developing audiences in a participative and inspiring way. The course will be fast-paced, highly interactive and designed to develop practical skills. All travel expenses, accommodation, meals and program registration will be provided by British Council.

How to Apply
-Please send letter of interest and CV to: zimbts2013@gmail.com
-Application deadline: 25 February 2013 – applications received after this date will not be considered.

Rebuilding Africa ‘can’t be dependent on donors’ – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Nigerian finance minister, in Liberia as part of UN development panel, wants innovation, infrastructure and jobs for Africa. Via the Guardian

It’s been merely thirty days into the New Year and a lot has happened in Zimbabwe from the bizarre stories to progress in constitution making process to death, police arrests and floods. The whole year seems to be highlighted in just a month and with eleven more months still to go one wonders what more is in store for Zimbabwe? An explosion occurred in Chitungwiza during a cleansing ceremony conducted by a traditional healer. The explosion killed people and destroyed houses. The parties to the GPA have agreed on the draft constitution by COPAC and it waits to pass through parliament. Though some slight changes have occurred in the draft constitution on matters such as presidential powers we still wonder if political parties that had made their stance on the second draft constitution, will continue to stand by their campaigns. The nation lost its vice president John Nkomo and well renowned academic and aspiring politician Professor John Makumbe. Okay Machisa director of the ZimRights was arrested on the 14th of January and was released on bail on the 28th. In some parts of the country heavy rains destroyed bridges and houses killing people. These are just a few highlights that have occurred in the space of 30 days.

This a painful and sad reality to hear the Minister of Finance Hon. Tendai Biti saying after paying last month’s civil servants wage bill only $217 is left in the Zimbabwe state account. Some may ask whether the Minister is washing the nation’s dirty linen in the public. Or he is giving a service to the nation by being accountable and sharing the status of our bank balance. But to whose sympathy since it is also his responsibility to manage the economy? Ever since the Minister assumed the role of Minister of Finance he has been preaching the gospel of “only eating what you kill” but in a situation like this the big question is, where will the next kill come from? Proclamations of the mineral richness of our country should show up at times like these not to be seen globe trotting with begging bowl all the time.

Some may argue that the Minister is politicking instead of doing the job he is being paid to do. In a country awash with minerals to report only $217 in the state account literally means the country has individuals richer than the country who may need to bail out the government.

“Lightning ruled out in Chitungwiza blast”

This is a headline, which appeared in a local tabloid as a follow up on the mysterious blast that leveled a house and killed five people in Chitungwiza on Monday. Some shoddy journalism suggested that lightning might have caused the blast. Media houses capitalized on Zimbabwe’s information hunger pushing up their sales by giving half-baked stories. I noticed the competition among the media to carry the catchiest headline but as you read the stories they all pointed to the “lightning belief”. Zimbabwe is an information-starved society and this was illustrated by the rate at which this story was covered on social platforms like Facebook. Details continue to emerge from the investigations by the police. Maybe our journalists need to be on the ground to cover these investigations and close this information gap rather than rely on hearsay theories from misinformed sources.