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Launch
of Kadoma Writers Association Website
Kadoma Writers Association
April
04, 2004
I am very pleased
to announce the launch of the Kadoma Writers Association (KWA):
www.kwa.kabissa.org
I would like to express my appreciation to Kabissa which has made
this website possible and to our colleagues and fellow NGOs, the
Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe(MMPZ), the Kadoma Stevenage
Link Committee and the NGO Network Alliance Project (NAAP). We have
worked closely together and I appreciate and cherish the remarkable
work they have done in promoting the Kadoma Writers Association.
Our Mission at KWA is to contribute to development and sustenance
of literary talent – where writers and artists, acting together,
can express and stand for their interests, exchange information
and strive for mutual goals. We achieve this by targeting our efforts
on strengthening a writer/artist focused, self-development agenda
by working with strategic partners to identify and implement participatory
literary and arts development approaches and interventions at local,
regional and international levels in order to promote economic,
spiritual, cultural, social freedom and justice.
Our Vision is that of the development and establishment of a truly
international, writers and artists centered organization that is
self-sustaining, members driven and members empowering. To tackle
and advocate writers and artist’s issues in partnership with other
institutions in order to ensure the total global publishing and
production of writers and artist’s works and achieving the total
freedom of the writer/artist from any hindrances, repression in
their work and to ensure their total freedom to write and publish.
Our objectives include the following:
- To promote
writing and artistic freedom and enhance independent, ethical
writing and artistry;
- Bring together
writers and artists nationally and globally to discuss literary
concerns and ideas, fostering linkages and exchange;
- Undertake
and facilitate exchange programs for writers and artists nationally
and internationally;
- Facilitate
wide readership of members’ works and productions through publishing
in newspapers, Magazines, anthologies and the Internet;
- To promote
and improve the works of emergent writers and artists through
training programmes, workshops, conferences etc.
- Facilitate
entrepreneurship in the writing and arts industry by training
writers, artists, seeking funding for their projects and overseeing
their implementation ;
- Promote women
writing skills, readership of their works, positive images and
their appreciation of literature and art;
- Provide information
consultancy services, initiate and establish an international
Writers Center in Zimbabwe to organize exhibitions, concerts,
writers evenings/film shows, debates on literary, cultural, social,
economic and topical issues;
- Commission
research on literary, arts, cultural and topical issues and record,
produce and disseminate such information through booklets, pamphlets,
folders, brochures, posters, documentaries and articles;
- Promote children’s
writing;
- Fight censorship,
repressive laws of all forms in the writing and arts industries;
- Stand firmly
against the abuse of human rights, intellectual property rights
and promote respect for democracy, equality and international
solidarity;
- Advocate
and promote the appreciation of HIV/AIDS through literary and
arts projects;
- Provide links
with other national, regional and international Community Based
Organizations(CBOs), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Writers
and Artists institutions/associations/unions, media, and government
agencies;
- Organize
and develop writers and artists on the basis of the love for peace,
democracy, regionalism, progress, unity, the elimination of tribalism,
regionalism and the promotion of the proliferation of international
solidarity in writing, cultural, economic and social development.
During the official
launch of the Kadoma Writers Association on 17 July 2000, I spoke
of the challenge of developing, promoting and sustaining literary,
artistic and cultural development, of the need for KWA and other
literacy organisations in Zimbabwe to reorganise within and embrace
partnerships outside with a wholly new vigor, partnerships with
other official aid and development institutions , with civil society,
the private sector, the literary and book production industry to
listen to and work more closely with the government and the writers
and artists we serve.
Writers in Zimbabwe are lagging behind in the Information Technology
Revolution but we as KWA have always strived to break the barriers
and it such a joy that at last we have found our place and indeed
our voice through the great many association advantages this website
will accord our organisation and our membership.
In 2001 we compiled two anthologies of poetry and short stories,
the Ragging Storm and Fragments. These are now at an advanced stage
towards publication and we are still pushing ahead vigorously with
the agenda of having them published so that our members' works can
see the light of day.
Later in the year, with our partners at the Zimbabwe Writers Union
(ZIWU) we articulated our approach to literary development for emerging
writers and artists. Our Research Project, "Coalitions for Change
-Partnerships between writers and artists" has seen us harness our
small victories.
The Schools Literature Development Programme (SLDP) an initiative
born out of the Research Project is flourishing in schools in Kadoma
and has since been extended to the rest of Mashonaland West Province.
We are, however, still seeking partners for the project as we are
running it on ad-hoc basis due to the lack of adeqaute funding.
We have also facilitated training for our members and encouraged
extensive networking and linkages
Our association has ensured that it is always represented at the
Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF)'s Indaba and Writers Workshops,
enabling our members to gain knowledge and expertise in their different
writing fields.
In 2002, the Association's Annual General Conference raised concerns
on the challenge of inclusion, of the need to think of literary
and artistic development in human terms and to bring the weakest
and the most vulnerable writers and artists in the country from
the margins of society to the center stage.
A year ago, when the government declared its war on journalists
and writers judged to be pervase to government, we spoke of the
other crisis, the human crisis of those condemned to poverty as
well as those writers and artists who had seen hope and seen it
roughly snatched away by restrictive legislation.
Today, as we speak a year later, it is tempting to take comfort
in thoughts of a new inspiration our website will accord Zimbabwean
writers; though for the thousands of journalists, writers, poets,
that other crisis still lives a fearful reality.
It is tempting to put off the needed reforms, - though for the writers
in Zimbabwe that reforms still matter. It is tempting to talk of
safe passage - though for the hundreds of journalists, the poor
writers who are unemployed there is still no sight of harbor.
Today, we embrace the threshold of new a millennium. But what is
the new millennium world we see?
A world where writers are persecuted. A world full of spite and
ridicule to the writer and artist. A world where writers, particularly
in developing countries have to fight for their rights day in and
night out. In our small world here I meet poor writers and artists
living in squadour and absolute poverty everyday.
The picture is mixed and the challenges are great. But this is a
moment in our history as Association when we can set a new course
to development and sustenance of literary and artistic talent in
Zimbabwe and beyond through the utilisation of this website and
we commit ourselves to that agenda without compromise. It is a time
not just for review, but for action.
Well-being is personal security. More writers are writing outside
the law now, trying to make ends meet, some have even abandoned
writing because of the social, political adn economic forces involved.
Well-being is having the chance to grasp new economic opportunities,
something the poor writers and artists feel much less able to do
now than a decade ago.
No! The crisis is not over! The challenge has barely begun.
Literary and artistic development is possible but not inevitable.
To advance literature and art we have to take the structural and
the social hand in hand with the macro-economic and the financial.
We have learned that for literary and artistic development to be
real and effective, we need local ownership of resources and relevant
tools and the writers and artists's participation.
Our writers and artists must be encouraged and facilitated to be
owners of their development; not just beneficiaries, but does of
their development.
But how can this be so effective if the writers are so vulnerable
and expect only brutality from the police, when laws of the land
regulating their work are repressive, when they are supposed to
be the eye of society and reflect on what they see and are denied
that right.
Writers and artists, poor as most of them are, repeat the same cries
over and over - too much violence, too much censorship, too much
powerlessness and weakness. They long for a system that gives them
equity and voice.
The recently held Annual General Conference and General meeting
of the Association affirmed our six-fold programme.
- Freedom of
Expression and Censorship Monitoring
- Capacity
Building(Book Production and Publication, Civic Particiapation
and Institutional Development)
- Training
and Education
- HIV/AIDS,
Gender Youth and Children
- Networking
and Exchange
- Research
and Documentation
In addition
to that we need to build coalitions for change. Coalitions with
the private sector which will bring investment in the literacy,
industry, create jobs, promote the transfer of knowledge, skills
and information and foster social responsibility.
Coalitions with civil society and communities to mobilise the kind
of grassroots support we have seen behind most projects's success
- and to extend it to education for all, to participation - and
the freedom to write and publish.
Coalitions with the government to assist it in taking charge of
literacy, cultural and artistic development and advancement.
Coalitions with the religion, trade unions, and with foundations
to benefit our common work. Coalitions of commitment to the African
Cultural Charter proclained by the African Union(AU); with other
writers and artists centred institutions, associations unions globally
to ensure sustainable development of literature, culture, education
and the arts.
I pledge to you our intention to work with all our partners to help
build these coalitions for change so that when our website starts
running full-time, we will have begun to put in place that new development
architecture.
We stand on the threshold of a new millenium. So much that could
be possible is within our group.
The commitments the writers and artists at KWA have need a human,
moral and sometimes practical support as well.
We call on all writers, artists in Zimbabwe and the world over to
join hands with us as we together march towards a new destination.
We invite NGOs, charitable organisations, the governments of this
world, government agencies, the private sector including individuals
and everyone to contact us for more information about the Kadoma
Writers Association so as to establish those coalitions for forward-looking
development.
We are presently servicing the website and we invite you to call
again on this site or to contact the us on our e-mail info@kwa.kabissa.org
so that we can put you on our mailing list for future updates.
Now we look forward, we commit ourselves to bring about the day
when the poor writers and artists of this world, the hopeful young
writers, the last talented street children, the writers who have
become slum dwellers will find peace, security and sustainance from
writing and will be able to cry out:"Today I fear no one! Today
I fear no one!"
Kadoma Writers Association is still establishing itself and we are
seeking partners to work with. Please kindly contact us on our e-mail
so that we can work together for the good of our common work.
By order of the Executive Council.
Morren Chivange
Chairperson
Tel: 203-09-483208
E-mail: morren.chivange@kwa.kabissa.org
Visit the KWA
fact sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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