Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu Matabeleland South Bureau
OVER 3 800 villagers from Nkayi, Gwanda, Umguza and Zvishavane districts are set to benefit from a peace building programme designed to promote social cohesion while cushioning communities against the adverse effects of climate change.
Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum (ECLF) monitoring and evaluation officer, Mr Tapiwa Zhou said the programme seeks to foster social cohesion by empowering community peace-building structures and facilitating inclusive participation at grassroots level.
The initiative is a follow-up to the establishment and training of local peace committees in the targeted districts. It will be implemented in the four districts until January 2029, with six wards in Gwanda earmarked for implementation.
“The end goal of the project is to have empowered at least 3 805 church and community members across Nkayi, Gwanda, Zvishavane and Umguza with peace building skills. We want to strengthen peace building structure capacities to respond effectively to emerging issues, promoting peace and social cohesion.
“By January 2029 at least 80 percent of the targeted community and church members in the selected districts should demonstrate the capacity to resolve conflicts non-violently, and at least 75 percent of local peace building structures should demonstrate improved responsiveness to emerging issues.”
Mr Zhou said studies and community assessments have shown that the targeted districts face a number of challenges, including social polarisation, tensions, economic disparities, harmful gender norms and underdevelopment, all of which undermine community harmony and active citizenship.
He said the programme aims to strengthen and consolidate local peace building capacities so that communities are better able to absorb shocks, respond to emerging challenges and address the root causes of conflict through preventive action and conflict transformation processes.
Mr Zhou added that communities will also be encouraged to develop and own strategies for conflict prevention and resolution.
“The project will also support community led initiatives that enhance trust, mutual understanding and co-operation, whilst also integrating livelihoods, development and governance processes for sustainable peace and dealing with conflict drivers effectively.
“The project will primarily target the new local peace committees in the respective areas. The youths will also be a critical target group ensuring their inclusion into nation building processes as well as focusing on women,” he said.
Mr Zhou said duty bearers such as traditional leaders will also be targeted, given their pivotal role in promoting peace and stability at community level.
The programme will further target the broader community, including vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities. Of the 3 805 direct beneficiaries, 60 percent will be women and 40 percent men.
In addition, the project is expected to reach an estimated 10 000 indirect beneficiaries, including family members of direct participants, church congregants, Government extension workers and other villagers.
ECLF director Reverend Sindiso Jele said the follow-up project goes beyond social cohesion by deliberately linking peace building with livelihoods support. He noted that the intervention aligns with the National Development Strategy 2.
“We deal with peace building and conflict management, we are more pro-active than reactive. We prepare people on how to deal with the conflicts in the event they occur. As we come in with this follow-up on projects, we have realised that a number of conflicts have arisen as a result of climate change,” said Reverend Jele.
He said some of the conflicts occur between people, while others involve human-wildlife interactions. — @DubeMatutu.
