CHITUNGWIZA - Awake Zimbabwe, a Chitungwiza-based registered youth organization formed in 2008 to educate people on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health among other issues, has high hopes for 2010.Tendai Maduwa, the 21-year old founding Director said that last year was difficult for them to carry out all planned programmes because they had no funding.
Our organization is not yet funded and this is holding back our progress. Currently, we only have the support of our parents and church pastors who help us with all the money needed for administration, he said.
Maduwa said lack of a venue to hold rehearsals, and the lack of a computer and printer also hindered their progress last year.
Under the 2010 theme Lets Fight AIDS and Stigma, AWAKE ZIMBABWE plans to have awareness and cleaning campaigns, interchurch discussions, sporting tournaments and workshops in target areas such as Epworth, St Marys, Rusape and Kadoma. They also plan to have sub-themes and events which will dwell on child abuse, domestic violence and unemployment among the youths.
Maduwa said his organization uses poetry, dance, music and drama to spread its message among youths in high-density suburbs who have been lost to drugs and crime due to dropping out of school and high unemployment.
AWAKE ZIMBABWE hopes to in future be able to provide soft loans to these youths so that they can start their own projects and help reduce unemployment as well as promote behavioral change.
The organization also lobbies politicians to formulate youth-friendly policies and promote gender equality and equity.
Despite financial challenges last year, AWAKE ZIMBABWE assisted in identifying a number of child abuse cases in their community and worked in conjunction with the police.
Maduwa appealed to local businesspeople and other donors to help AWAKE ZIMBABWE which was registered as a national youth organization with Zimbabwe Youth Council (registration number NA 021/1109).
Post published in: Analysis