Apr
30

2013
By

Children’s voices in the media

Category: News 2013 Tags: , , Zimbabwe Union for Journalists 2 Comments

Zimbabwe Union of Journalists and UNICEF held a 2 day workshop with children from different organizations in attendance over the weekend at Mukuvisi Woodland in order to make children’s voices and choices heard in every form of media.

Children’s views and opinions are not being voiced neither is their participation notable in the media. Is it due to lack of child friendly media platforms or it is because they genuinely do not know the said platforms where they can be part and parcel of decision making process in terms of what they want to hear on the radio, TV and what they read in the newspaper? The main agenda of the workshop was that of getting them involved in the media and other current platforms like on Television-the Young, Gifted & Talented (YGT) show, Cool Lifestyle (Newspaper), Sunday Mail Bridge section (Newspaper) and radio programs on special events like the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting. The workshop also was about learning how to be a journalist, how to write different types of articles life a feature and hard news story. We learnt of writing for those who are behind time simply by stating Who, what, where, when,why and how- the 5Ws and an H. Leading the workshop was Charles Mushinga- Deputy Editor of H-Metro and Editor of the Sunday Mail Bridge section, Nigel Nyamutumbu (Programs Officer for ZUJ).

Invited guest speakers included Samantha Sanangurai (Care At The Core of Humanity-CACH Zimbabwe) – an organization which helps children in contact with the law/caught on the wrong side of the law, their families and their communities, Foster Dongozi (ZUJ Secretary General).

with Sanni Makhalima at the Zi FM studios

with Sanni Makhalima at the Zi FM studios

Day 1- We started the day by having a media tour of the following studios- ZBC Pockets Hill Studios in Highlands Harare which included, National FM, Power FM and how they connect with their other studios like Radio Zimbabwe in Mbare and Sport FM situated in Bulawayo. We also toured Zi FM studios and got amazing photos with Sanni and Delani Makhalima, also Tinopona Katsande, Tintin for short. At the Zi FM studios since it is digital, we got to see just how it all works.

From the left: Sungano, Tintin and Loyce

From left: Sungano, Tintin and Loyce

After the tour we got back to the Mukuvisi Woodland where Samantha showed us just how much people and we children are ignorant when it comes to human and children’s rights. She also said something that was very interesting- we might have rights but when you abuse them, the law can take away those rights!

Day 2- We had a discussion session with Mr Dongozi. We discussed about what we would want in order for us to be part of the media, what can be done to increase media consumption by children. We came up with the following ideas:

  • There should be listening clubs and in such clubs radio sets should be handed out
  • Media products should be able to cater for every child
  • Children with impairments should partner and produce media for their peers

He then told us of a soon to be available platform by UNICEF called Your call/Your Phone whereby UNICEF will advertise their toll free number and any young person can call and text about anything you want. We ended day 2 by touring the Zimpapers Offices and getting information on how they work and print their newspapers.

Plus I learnt for the first time what a voice bank is. Whereby if you think you have a great voice you go to Zi FM studios, record a demo for free and when they get clients who want a voice over advert and they play their voice bank which would probably have many voices stored and your voices the one the client chooses well serious cash. You get called in again and you do the advert. Easy money.

What a more better way to end the workshop than enjoying nature and wildlife2013-04-27 16.24.14

Got to meet my totem up close- the Eland-Mhofu Oh is that a Zebra

Got to meet my totem up close- the Eland-Mhofu
Oh is that a Zebra

Apr
29

2013
By

Move to the beat and heat

Category: News 2013 Tags: , HIFA Leave a Comment

hands up!!

hands up!!

The third week of April on a Tuesday mid-morning, you could hear amplified music and voices of many children as you are about to enter the Africaid premises.

What had brought about such an action you might ask- the fever and heat as is the norm on each and every given April in the capital is all about Harare International Festival of the Arts. HIFA is indeed one of Africa’s largest international arts festival. It was established in 1999 by Manuel Bagorro, the festival takes place each year in late April or early May in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. HIFA is a week-long and encompasses five principal disciplines, which are: theatre, music, dance, fine art and poetry. Children from the Zvandiri program are going to be part of one of the above mentioned discipline-dance or to be clearer a flash mob and it is the opening act on the 4th of May!

part of the mob

part of the mob

A flash mob is seen as an artistic expression done in a public place and since there is only one choreographer teaching each group and it involves many individuals we agreed we were to rehearse once a week up until HIFA. On the 16th we started training and by the time the day was over, everyone agreed that the routine was indeed difficult hence each person was going to learn at home. The first time we only learnt one part of the routine and on the 23rd we were going to do the unfinished part. Like I said before the dance steps are difficult and you have to be fast and very flexible for it to really come out. We are currently stumbling and the fact that the festival is around the corner is not helping matters. In our case every step, every clap or any movement you make has got to be at the same precise moment.

to the left

to the left

Perfection is what we want and that is what you are going to get!

Open invitation to all, be part of us and come witness our performance and other acts at the very grand arena-Harare Gardens it will be. See you there.

Apr
17

2013
By

Meet the TEAM

Category: News 2013 3 Comments

Africaid just like any other organization has got people or to be more precise a team which keeps everything together and running as effectively as it does. Team 2013 has got the following individuals:

Nicola Willis

Nicola Willis

THE BOSS-Nicola Willis trained for four years as a specialist children’s nurse at Nottingham University, UK, and afterwards developed interests in children with HIV. In 2002 she left the UK with her colleague Marcus McGilvray to drive to Africa in a 20 year old landrover. They crossed the Sahara Desert on their way south, working in Ghana (building from scratch a clinic for people with HIV), and then South Africa (writing internationally acclaimed guidelines for managing HIV in children).

In 2004 Nicola moved on to Zimbabwe, where she worked with Professor Luthy at Connaught Clinic in Harare, establishing the new children’s clinic there. Subsequently she created the Zvandiri Programme within her own organization Africaid, of which she is the Director.

We will start the introductions with team members who when you come to the Zvandiri House in Avondale, Harare  you are guaranteed of seeing them, thus:

THE AUNTIES- Martha, Eliza and Felisitas are women who are irreplaceable, in terms of counseling,

From the left: Elizabeth Gwenzi, Felisitas Ngubo & Martha Mawodzeke

From the left: Elizabeth Gwenzi, Felisitas Ngubo & Martha Mawodzeke

career guidance and Love- ask any Zvandiri youth. Martha is the Programs Manager of the organization, Felisitas is the Nurse counselor and Eliza is the Training officer and she is also a Counselor.

THE UNCLES- Likewise they are seen by many children and youths as father figures.Chengetai is the Monitoring, evaluation and reporting officer whilst Jonas is the Finance and Administrator Manager and Nigel is the Case Management Officer

Lawrence Magara & Sungano Bondayi

Lawrence Magara & Sungano Bondayi

 

THE I.T OFFICERS- Young, determined and courageous (to face the computer and use it to its extent). Lawrence Magara and Sungano Bondayi are the 2 youths in charge of the I.T department and the training of computer skills to their peers.

 

 

Africaid is an organization which is growing and branching out into other Zimbabwean provinces and that is why we have the Provincial Focal Persons who include Siniko Ndlovu, Simbarashe Munyonho and

From left: Siniko Ndhlovu, Simbarashe Munyonho & Takura Mangwiro

From left: Siniko Ndhlovu, Simbarashe Munyonho & Takura Mangwiro

Takura Mangwiro. They in turn are working and training tirelessly the Zvandiri program to various health institutions in Bulawayo (Bulawayo province), Gweru (Midlands province) and Mutare (Manicaland province) respectively.

 

 

 

Far Back: Jonas Manangazira, Andreas Keller, Takura Mangwiro Centre: Siniko Ndhlovu, Nigel Gaza, Chengetai Dziwa, Simbarashe Munyonho, Martha Mawodzeke & Elizabeth Gwenzi In front: Felisitas Ngubo

Far Back: Jonas Manangazira, Andreas Keller, Takura Mangwiro
Centre: Siniko Ndhlovu, Nigel Gaza, Chengetai Dziwa, Simbarashe Munyonho, Martha Mawodzeke & Elizabeth Gwenzi
In front: Felisitas Ngubo

Pics taken in Victoria Falls where the leaders went for team building

 

 

 

 

Apr
3

2013
By

Care made easy

Category: News 2013 Leave a Comment

A Point of Care machine at a local clinic

A Point of Care machine at a local clinic

Point of Care machines (POCs) provide services that enable healthcare providers to render better patient management and ensure optimized clinical outcomes. These machines produce results in minutes, enabling critical treatment decisions to be made instantly. However in Zimbabwe they were just being used as diagnosis on pregnant women but as time passed the health sector now wants more POCs, which they want to use for monitoring cd4 count (the number of red blood cells in the blood). Hopefully when I visit any clinic in the next 3 months there will be a Point of Care machine at that institution.