Envision, Zimbabwe

Envision in action

Working with women

In the townships around Zimbabwe’s capital people live crammed into tiny apartments. Clean water is a huge issue. In Mbare, a suburb of Harare, there is barely enough water for half the residents. Burst pipes and sewage leaks are a daily problem and cholera is a constant threat.

Envision has set up women’s groups to lead community clean ups, to work with engineers to find long term solutions, and to meet with the local council to call for better provisions. For many of these women it is the first time they have worked together and is an opportunity to relate to each other despite political affiliation.

With Envision we can see that there is a lot we can do as women to help our communities help ourselves - Mai, Mbare

Working with young people

Many young people in Zimbabwe were either coerced into taking part in the political violence in 2008 or became victims of it. Many of these young people suffer mental health problems, especially those who were recruited to rape or attack.

For these young people, violence is often seen as ‘normal’. Envision is determined to change this. Two-thirds of secondary school-age children do not attend school These are the children who are most at risk. To reach these young people Envision is working both within and outside of the formal education system, linking with faith groups, women’s groups and other community groups.

Using focus groups to inform every step of their progress Envision has developed a peace education syllabus that they plan to take nationwide to reach all young people – Zimbabwe’s future leaders – and reverse the culture of violence.

Make a gift today and you help them build peace from the ground up.