community builders:with Takemore Mazuruse
Ateacher by profession, Lorraine Ndlovu, the founder and director of Women Taking Action Zimbabwe (WTAZ) never imagined herself outside the classroom and leading the fight against marginalisation of women and other disadvantaged members of the community.
Ndlovu reckons her teaching stint in Gwanda opened her eyes to the injustices that are perpetrated by society against women and the generally disadvantaged as a result of patriarchy as well as other social, economic and political anomalies.
“My teaching experience in rural Gwanda where I taught vulnerable children inspired me to start Women Taking Action Zimbabwe and I am happy to say the organisation is bringing a lot of positive change in beneficiary communities even during this Covid-19 period,” she said.
“As a teacher I used to buy stationery for disadvantaged pupils so that no child would be left behind. That regard for others has continued to inspire me to this day. My sister Grace and I are making masks for the schools. We are also planning to get bleach or soap to enable pupils to wash their hands. We are doing this in readiness for the opening of schools. No child or teacher should miss school because they have no mask or because the school has no soap or bleach.”
Ndlovu, who is a past chapter chairperson of Gwanda Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (GWCZ) from 2007 to 2016, said she is not new to community development and is proud of the work she continues to do for the empowerment of others and indeed national development.
“I am one person who believes we are all duty-bound to assist and working with organisations like Gwanda Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe exposed me to leadership and community development practice,” she said.
“Between 2007 to 2016 my role included coordination of chapter activities and business, facilitating on women’s rights education to women, coming up with write ups and submission of reports to main office, conducting constitutional awareness programs for women in Gwanda as well as facilitating interface between women and stakeholders or responsible authorities on women-related and pertinent issues such as engaging local authority on service delivery and access to water.”
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Other responsibilities she embarked on under GWCZ included working with women to reduce or eliminate domestic and gender based violence, facilitating women and young women empowerment activities and income generation, leadership skills development and lobby and advocacy skills.
Ndlovu told Standard Style that her passion and commitment to women empowerment and championing community development has seen her being elected to the position of national president for Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations ( ZCIEA)
“Community development is a part of my existence and that has seen me elected ZCIEA where my role includes presiding at all conference and constituent meetings of the organisation and signing records of the proceedings,” she said.
“I am also the custodian of ZCIEA constitution and I represent ZCIEA in all appropriate fora. My position also includes issuing public statements in accordance with the aims, policies and principles of ZCIEA, playing an oversight role of the organisation’s operations, being signatory to all ZCIEA bank accounts as well as monitoring execution of programs and activities.”
Ndlovu, whose work has taken her to various corners of the country as well as the world for engagements and presentations also shared about her work with StreetNet International, an alliance of street vendors formed in Durban, South Africa in 2002.
“I am very passionate about the rights of all especially the usually downtrodden and my involvement with such work and programmes also resulted in my election to become the president of StreetNet International,” she said.
“I preside over international congresses, council and executive committee meetings and signing records thereof, play an oversight role over affairs of StreetNet International, have signatory rights to StreetNet International bank account, represent StreetNet International at all appropriate fora globally as well as issuing public, advocacy and lobby statements on behalf of StreetNet International.”
Ndlovu also elaborated on her full time work with Women Taking Action Zimbabwe (WTAZ), an organisation she founded in 2012 and whose core objective is to assist girl children and women to access opportunities which are equal to those of their male peers “With WTAZ, my focus is to equip girl children to access education from early childhood development to tertiary levels and to facilitate retention to graduation of girls and women in educational endeavours till they graduate,” she said.
“We also assist and equip girl children, women and communities to use resources at hand to build sustainable livelihoods. Some of the activities under WTAZ, include distribution of sanitary pads to Form 2 to 4 girls in rural Gwanda with the hope to spread the drive countrywide.”
WTAZ has also been commended for its community-driven programmes which include life coaching sessions with girls and women in the community and engagement with community leaders and members.
“As Covid-19 continues to be a challenge, we have made and are still sewing masks for Mayezane primary school pupils and staff in Gwanda rural. We have also received requests for masks from two schools in Plumtree, one in Mberengwa and two more in Gwanda South,” she said.
While funding remains a challenge, Ndlovu was grateful for the support from well-wishers and members. She called for more support from other aid agencies and partners towards sustainable programming.
“WTAZ programmes are driven through contributions by founding members of the organisation. We are really grateful for their support and the role they are playing in advancing the mission of the organisation,” she said.
“It is my hope that we continue getting support from other aid agencies and partners towards sustainable programming.”
Ndlovu’s selflessness is even more evident through the fact that her work with ZIECA and StreetnNet International is voluntary and not remunerated.
“The work I do with ZCIEA and StreetNet International does not come with any pay. I just feel duty bound to play my part in fighting for the rights and welfare of others and the results have been encouraging,” she said.
“I have represented StreetNet International where ZCIEA is an affiliate working with Women in Informal employment Globalising and Organising at the 2018 and 2019 International Labour Conference in Geneva.
“I also spoke at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) plenary session encouraging the ILO to adopt a Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work which protects informal economy workers. It is my hope that all this work will help contribute towards a better world for all.”
