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Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ) National Youth Camp Gweru
Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ)
August 15, 2006

Building on a Solid Foundation (Based on Luke 6 v 48)

" if you keep silent at such a time as this,salvation (deliverance) shall come (for the Jews) from another place (from some other quaters) but you and your household shall perish, and who will know whether or not you were at the Royal (strategic) position at such a time as this?" (Esther 4 v 14)

Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe: Background
The Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe is a registered non governmental organisation. Its headquarters the World Student Christian Federation is in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation seeks to address the changing needs of young people and students. As a movement we have responsibilities and these generally are:

• To create a God fearing, just peaceful, transparent and politically tolerant society, with equal opportunities
• Challenging students and members to exercise their christian faith in practical service to the community

Mission Satatement
To conscientise and mobilise students and youth to be proactive in society for positive change.

Background to the National Youth Camp
The National Youth Camp is an annual programme on the SCMZ calendar. The Youth Camp gathers SCMZ members throughout the country and is a platform where issues affecting the youth and the country in general are discussed and strategies and actions are resolved upon and adopted. It is a time for reflection, analysis and evaluation of the past, present and future.

The National Youth Camp came into picture at a time when some Christian organisations were initiating talks with the Government of Zimbabwe over the crisis bedevilling our economy. The talks initially were a welcome move, until it later turned out that the processes were bogus and led by pro-government forces manipulating their positions of trust within religious based groupings to masquerade as the true representation of the christian voice. The processes later turned out not to be inclusive since most of the stakeholders were not consulted, the initiators of this process thus clearly lacked the mandate of the faith based organisations. As concerned Christian youths we felt that there is need for consultations on our members to this issue in question. This would also give us a platform and the mandate to launch a campaign to what we want as youths in Zimbabwe, and then lobby to the relevant stakeholders concerned.

Zimbabwe is currently in a socio-economic as well as political crisis. The country is marred by gross violations of the basic human rights, misgovernance, misplaced priorities and HIV/AIDS. SCMZ believes that the Zimbabwean situation is a challenge to every stakeholder especially the youth. It is clear that the future of the nation is at stake and the youth are the future. Therefore it is SCMZ's belief that any action or programmes has to focus on the youth since they are still young and energetic and are vulnerable to all forms of abuse, violence conflicts and HIV/AIDS.

State of the Nation The youths are the future, as it was clearly stated by then the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe soon after we got independence that, "The country does not belong to us but it is loaned to us by the future generations thus it is our duty to leave it a better place for them." So inlight of this the movement believes in positive investment which include education, healthy delivery system amongst other fundamentals. Now the government of Zimbabwe has abandoned its social responsibility and thereby depriving the youths their right to education by allowing tuition fees to be charged at commercial rates. The withdrawal of grants to tertiary education is a clear indication of a complete reversal of the gains of our independence. We believe as a movement that the Government of Zimbawe has failed its people, and failed to be a government of the people, for the people, by the people.

Resolutions The more than 150 delegates resolved that we

1. Need a new democratic and people driven constitution which is sensitive to the contemporary issues which affect the youth.
2. Reject commercialisation of the social services delivery systems such as education, health, refuse collection e.t.c
3. Partner Zinasu in the fight for the right to education through the popular Education for all not for the elite campaign.
4. Partner with progressive civic society forces in the quest for positve change in society.
5. Actively participate under the Christian Alliance processes in the quest for seeking societal transformation
6. Embark on non violent but non compromising direct confrontation to the illegitimate and irresponsible regime.
7. Engage sister Student Christian Movements regionally and internationally to exert presure on the international community to intervine.
8. Reject the conception that youths are tomorrow's leaders - Tommorow is an elusive concept and it may never come- rather youths are todays leaders in waiting and should be actively involved in all processes that affect their future. SCMZ thus welcomed the resolution passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its 58th General Session, Agenda Item Number 106, in recognizing that youth participation is an asset as well as a prerequisite for the sustainable development of societies, particularly in developing countries.

Visit the SCMZ fact sheet

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