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World Vision Scoops Back-to-Back Bronze

World Vision Zimbabwe has once again been declared the
third best employer in the most competitive employee survey
in the country.
Last year was the organizations first foray into the
competition, finishing a surprising 3
rd
, behind Plan
International and Trocaire.
As the largest NGO in the country, it was the only
organization to finish in the top 3 in 2012 and 2013.
The award is in recognition of the levels of staff engagement
and it is based on a survey that was conducted on
participating organisations in various sectors of the economy.
The survey is conducted by the Industrial Psychology
Consultants, a widely recognised firm in the country. IPC
uses the Employee Engagement Index (EEI) Instrument,
which provides a definitive benchmark for participants to
measure their effectiveness in creating a workplace that
engages the support and commitment of their employees.
The Top 10 organizations were announced at the Meikles
Hotel on April 24.
The fact that World Vision is the only NGO in the country to
finish in the top three both years we competed is a reflection
of our consistency, said National Director Edward B. Brown.
Statistically, smaller NGOs have a competitive advantage
over us in the way this survey is evaluated. So for us to do so
well is truly amazing. To God goes the glory.
He attributes WVZs success to our Christian identity and our
unity in Christ. He said that while proud to lead WVZ, he
admitted he would have loved to get first place There are
things we have done in the last three years to continually
improve our level of engagement with staff and to have a
strong corporate culture that we all can be grateful to be a
part of.
P&C Director Davison Mauwa weighed in saying consistency
was a sign the organisation was doing things right.
Other organisations come and go but as World Vision we
have always been there which means our systems and
processes follow best practices. We are hoping that in the
next Financial Year, that is FY15, we are going to do better
than what we have done. In terms of engagement, we are
going to make sure that we are more engaged with the staff,
adds Davison Mauwa.
Brown likewise expressed optimism that next year WVZ could
upgrade bronze to gold.
Like agriculture, cultivating a Christ-centered culture takes
time and in due season we will bear fruit of First Place
success, said Brown. Having aligned our structure to our
strategy and made many recent internal promotions, we now
have seeds of staff engagement planted in fertile soil.
Winning again is a good reflection of World Visions
performance in employee engagement. added Advisory
Board Chairperson Colin Kuhuni. It is a good reflection of
how great the organisation is. I believe that we can aspire for
more and get to the top through continuing to do what is
right. Whatever it is that has made us number three, we must
continue to do it and excel in order that we get to the best
employer in Zimbabwe in the NGO sector.
World Vision has been on a growth path and is currently the
largest NGO, by number of employees and budget size, in
Zimbabwe.
Other NGOs, including the surprise winner CRS, have
reduced staffing levels significantly in recent years.
Transparency International, with a small presence in
Zimbabwe, nimbly scooped Second Place.
April 2014
Board Chair Colin Kuhuni, P&C Director D. Mauwa & ND E
Brown with the award (Left to write)





World Vision Initiated, Built School Officially Opened
Newline Primary School, a learning centre wholly constructed by World Vision
Zimbabwe was officially opened on April 8, 2014.
Newline, has been an appendage of a much bigger Brunapeg Primary since 2005, and
will henceforth be a standalone school that conducts examinations on its own.
World Vision Zimbabwes Sanzukwi Area Development Programme worked with the
local community in building the school.
Phillip Ncube, the school development committee chairperson said the official
opening of the school marked an important milestone for the community.
Our journey started in 1980 (when Zimbabwe gained independence) when we approached government so that they would
construct a school. Initially we agreed to the plea to mould bricks, though we got surprised when we were told that there was no
money for the construction of the school. We continued looking for ways of constructing a school close to our homes but it was to
no avail until 1999 when World Vision came, says Phillip Ncube.
It was too good to be true for the community which is located in Mangwe district in Matabeleland South, adds the school
development committee chairperson.
World Vision said they would include the plan of the school in their five year development programme and by 2001, we had started
building this school. We provided locally available materials and resources while World Vision assisted us with cement and other
building materials, adds Phillip Ncube.
This culminated in the construction of four blocks, each with two classrooms, as well as teachers cottages.
We used to cry day and night but World Vision dried our tears, now the tears we are shedding are those of
joy, say Phillip Ncube to the people who had come to witness the event who included the local chief, political leadership, the local
government and department of education officials.
The Provincial Education Director Thumisani Thabeka (Mrs) says what World Vision, working with the community, had done fitted
well into Governments desire to make sure that the learners welfare is upheld.
We cannot have universal access to education without the infrastructure and with this; World Vision has created a friendly
environment that will attract the children. We have come a long way and we have to acknowledge that before the construction of
this school, children had to walk long distances walking through thick forests which posed a danger especially to the girl child, says
Thabeka.
Speaking at the same occasion, World Vision Zimbabwes Integrated Programmes Director Khumbulani Ndlovu said it is important
that parents invested in education.
Please make sure that your children go to school and I want to encourage all the school children here to work hard, says
Integrated Programmes Director, Mr. Khumbulani Ndlovu.

Tete-a-tete.Integrated Programmes Director, Khumbulani
Ndlovu stresses a point while talking to the Provincial
Education director. Interesting to note is that the PED was at
one time Mr Ndlovus teacher.
The provincial education director unveils the plaque




From the ND











Rehabilitated classroom block handed over to community
World Vision handed over a rehabilitated classroom block to
the Kenyandavu community in Lupane at the beginning of this
month.
The rehabilitation, undertaken under the auspices of a
UNICEF-funded and World Vision Zimbabwe implemented
education project, brings relief to the school which faced
serious classroom shortage. We are happy that World Vision,
working with its partners, came to our rescue as we had
serious problems after the classroom block was destroyed by a
storm, said the school headmaster Mr Dhinare. The headmaster adds: After the storm, there were lots of cracks
and the roof was blown off. As such, it was no longer conducive to undertake any learning activities at the school.
This meant they had to make do with the fewer blocks that were left and children were at times learning from
outside. We requested assistance from several donors and fortunately, World Vision came to our rescue and they
gave us some building materials, adds the headmaster of the school that is located in the very remote parts of
Lupane close to the border with Binga and Gokwe districts. Speaking at the launch, Lupane ADP manager, who was
also guest of honour, said it was important that communities prioritised education. Community members provided
locally available materials as well as labour to make sure that the classroom block was completed on time. The
handover ceremony was attended by various stakeholders including the local traditional and political leadership.
Lupane ADP Manager, Mrs Ncube officially opens the
rehabilitated block
It has been a month since the last Newsletter, but it feels like a lifetime ago. So much transpires every day, I cant
remember what has happened in March and what happened in April, as time is moving so fast and months are melding
together.
So rather than try to recall all that has happened in Harare and Bulawayo (meetings, meetings and more meetings!), in the
field (ADP visits, forward progress on grants, etc.) and in my international travels (Nairobi for Executive Communication
Training, Cape Town for HEAT Security Training, Johannesburg for a SAR meeting focused on Global Initiatves), Ill just
summarize by saying I have been wonderfully busy and WVZ is moving from strength to strength.
Since a picture says a thousand words, see below some recent snapshots:
Tete-a-tete..Khumbulani stresses a point while
talking to the provincial education director.
Interesting to note is that the PED was at one time
Khumbus teacher





From the field Thanks to CF, I can feed my family
For the Mkhwebu family under
Lupane Area Development
Programme, the 2013 2014
farming season has changed
their lives for the better, thanks
to their adoption of
conservation agricultural
methods. Working with the
ADP, Mrs Mkhwebu adopted
conservation farming at a time
when she was having serious
difficulties in growing enough food for the family. I am
happy that I adopted the new farming method as the
results have made me grow enough food for the family. I
am confident that there will be enough for the family for
the whole year and some to sell to others who may not
have grown enough, said Mrs Mkhwebu at her homestead
on the eve of a field day to mark her success. I followed
what the extension workers were telling
us throughout the season and I now
know that this is the best farming
method for our region, she added.
Lupane is one of the driest areas in the
country and farmers have difficulties
growing enough food for families. World
Visions Lupane ADP, in line with
government policy and the National
Offices objective of ensuring that
families are food secure, worked with
various partners in implementing conservation
agriculture. This has seen a number of farmers increasing
crop yields to the extent that they are selling the surplus.
I will use the money realised from the sale of the surplus
to pay for my childrens school fees as well as buy other
household goods, adds Mrs Mkhwebu.


Bumper harvest: Mrs Mkhwebu in her field
The Robert Sinyoka ADP organised communities to come together and make toys and balls for their local
ECDs. It was quite encouraging to note that both men and women of all ages came together for the
common good as shown on the pictures above.
From the archives: Remember the Rubber Band from Hong Kong that visited World Vision Zimbabwe in
January? The band has come up with a theme song for this years 30 Hour Hunger Campaign. The song
captures their moments in Zimbabwe and can be watched online. Unfortunately they are yet to translate
to English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vheObQZOuyA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Page layout and design by Leonard Makombe (Communications Officer)