Online Reporter
Felistas Tavarera and Belindah Chikandiwa
The Good Deeds Day has hosted an Africa regional conference, emphasising the importance of volunteerism, civic engagement and sustainability in achieving the country’s development goals.
Addressing the African leaders’ conference in Harare on Tuesday, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said Good Deeds Day’s values of volunteerism and civic engagement aligned with the agenda under the theme “Advancing community resilience through doing good”.
“Zimbabwe is on an irreversible journey towards Vision 2030, which envisions a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income economy by the year 2030. To guide us on this path, the Government implemented the national development strategy,” she said.
Sen Mutsvangwa stated that NDS1, now drawing to a close, had laid the groundwork for infrastructural development, service delivery, youth empowerment, innovation, devolution and citizen participation.
“Good Deeds Day and its guiding values of volunteerism, civic engagement and doing good for others and the environment are not separate from this agenda. Rather, they are part and parcel of it.
“The goals of NDS1 and Vision 2030 are best realised when every citizen understands that they have a role to play. We must therefore applaud Good Deeds Day Zimbabwe for aligning its activities with the national agenda,” she added.
Prioritising collaboration with the Government and civil society to support underserved communities, with a commitment to uplifting communities and reaching those in need, especially as the 15th meeting of the conference of the contracting parties approaches.
“Good Deeds Day is rooted in sustainability, compassion for future generations and the understanding that we must preserve our natural heritage while improving the quality of life for all.
“Zimbabwe is proud to champion these values and to stand as a hub for people-centred development and ecological preservation,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the Rural Accessibility and Mobility Strategic Action Plan (RAMSA) and Good Deeds Day complement each other in spirit and in action, reminding us that Ubuntu is not just a word, but a call to action.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Honourable Charles Tavengwa said the Government implemented the National Development Strategy 1, now drawing to a close, which has laid the groundwork for infrastructure development, service delivery, youth empowerment, innovation, devolution and citizen participation.
Good Deeds Day and its guiding values of volunteerism, civic engagement and doing good for others and the environment are not separate from this agenda. Rather, they are part and parcel of it.
“The goals of NDS1 and Vision 2030 are best realised when every citizen understands that they have a role to play.
“They must therefore applaud Good Deeds Day Zimbabwe for aligning its activities with international priorities, working hand in hand with the Government and civil society to reach underserved communities and uplift them,” he said.
Good Deeds Day and RAMSA share values of sustainability and compassion for future generations, prioritising the preservation of natural heritage and improving quality of life. Zimbabwe champions these values, promoting people-centred development and ecological preservation.
“Against this background, we will be planting trees on June 26, 2025, in five schools across Zimbabwe. Our President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, always say, indeed, each citizen is a builder, and each good deed is a bricklayer towards national and continental development.
“The success of environmental programmes depends on better citizen participation; that is why national movements such as the national clean-up campaigns are so vital,” he remarked.
Minister Tavengwa said, “Zimbabweans, we open our arms to all those who come in peace to collaborate, to learn and to give. We are ready to share and equally ready to learn from others. Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power.”
The East and Southern African Good Deeds Day regional coordinator Dr Lucia Nkomo said, “As a coordinator of such a diverse platform, this conference brings together different African leaders and Good Deeds Day leaders from various countries, where we come together to share experiences. It’s a learning platform and it’s held once every year.
“We have a conference on a rotational basis, which means we have it in different countries.
“Last year it was in Kenya; this year it’s in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is very key for us because it is an inaugural conference where volunteers come together at this magnitude and size,” she said.
“And we hope to share ideas that cut across very critical areas in terms of development. We are looking at gender-based violence, gender equity, environmental issues, SDGs and inclusivity for disability issues.
“All these come into play, and those are the issues we are discussing, so we are learning from each other and sharing best practices as African leaders for Good Deeds Day,” she said.
dyton mupawaenda