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NASCOH'S advocacy gains momentum
Lucina Mangwanda, NASCOH
Extracted from NASCOH News No. 51
April 2004

The year 2003 was a mixed bag of successes and challenges, issues beyond our control and others within our control, little room for maneuver, and the spirit to rise against all odds. Given this background, the following summarizes what we undertook to do after June 2003:

Programme Highlights

Through the advocacy programme NASCOH managed to commission a research on the Disability Fund which was successfully completed in September 2003. The research was carried out in Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Harare, Bulawayo, Matebeleland North and Matebeleland South Provinces. With the findings, feed-back meetings were held with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and member organizations. Recommendations from these stakeholders were noted and the report now awaits publication, publicity and sending it out to relevant stakeholders. It is interesting to note that the Disability Fund was eventually raised from $400 million which was allocated in 2003 to $4,8 billion in the 2004 budget.

In August 2003, gender dimensions of advocacy workshops were held for all the Regional Advocacy Committees. This was due to the realization that there was no mainstreaming of gender in their advocacy work and issues were being tackled from a gender neutral point. The workshops helped in enlightening the committee members and there has been an interesting change in their lobbying strategies, operations, positions in the RAC, time of meetings and benefits accrued out of their lobbying work are now distributed fairly between men and women.

The Regional Advocacy Committees have continued to work and to score successes despite the harsh periods. The following successes were noted:

Mashonaland East: 11 people with disabilities obtained housing stands at Juru Growth Point and a Child Parliamentarian was elected following intense lobbying by the Mashonaland East RAC members. Furthermore, one of the RAC members was elected into the Mashonaland East Land Committee and 6 people with disabilities have been allocated land for farming (A1).

Matebeleland South: The RAC lobbied for the new NSSA building to be made accessible for the benefit of people with disabilities and the building, which is now complete, is very accessible. The RAC also managed to convince the local authorities to employ four people with disabilities in the Public Works Department. Furthermore, the RAC lobbied the Head of Jahunda Primary School to take three children with disabilities who were staying at home into his school and these children are now at school. 11 people with disabilities obtained land for farming.

Masvingo: 10 stands for tuck shops for people with disabilities were allocated following the lobbying of the local authorities although only three stands have been taken up to date. Another 10 people with disabilities were allocated farming land (A1).

Mashonaland Central: Successfully acquired a two-roomed house which they gave to a woman with a disability who was in desperate need with her two children. Due to the presence of a Social Welfare Officer in the RAC and a Ministry of Heath Official, seven people managed to get assistive devices in Mashonaland Central.

Midlands: successfully lobbied the Mayor who donated a wheelchair to a needy child.

Mashonaland West: a farm was set aside solely for a group of people with disabilities who are now manning the farm.

Matebeleland North: have been in a campaign to raise awareness on disability and to change society’s attitudes towards the disabled. To that effect the RAC was in constant dialogue with the NRZ, the local authorities and the Association for public transport.

Manicaland: due to their lobbying the then Mayor of Mutare, Alderman Mudehwe, employed two people with disabilities in the council and some areas were made accessible for the benefit of people with disabilities.

Over and above these achievements, the RACs successfully met the policy makers in their respective regions and advanced their issues.

Pre-Post budgetary meetings

NASCOH attended the pre and post budgetary meetings and the fruits of these meetings were as follows:

Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare increased the disability fund from $400 million to $4,8 billion this year. Furthermore, of this fund, $300 million is to be channeled to self-help projects following criticism that the Ministry should move from the Welfare approach to a sustainable approach through giving people with disabilities substantial amounts for projects.

The Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture now has, as a matter of policy, a stand point that 10% of the BEAM fund should benefit children with disabilities.

The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has set aside $100 million in their budget to cater for the mentally challenged through the lobbying of our member organization, ZIMNAMH.

NASCOH held a meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on February 24, 2004 at which the Committee pledged to gather support from other Portfolio committees and to eventually move a motion in Parliament on the issue of the amendment of the DPA.

Strategic planning meetings

A staff strategic planning meeting was held at Wild Geese lodge on the 5 December 2003. It was the first of its kind, with seasoned facilitators to lead us. This marked a turning point in NASCOH and we got the chance to evaluate ourselves before evaluation by external actors. We have also held strategic planning meetings with all the RACs, a first of its kind, and finances flowing smoothly, we are expecting more successful stories this year and a smooth flow of programmes.

NGO EXPO (23 – 27 September 2003)

NASCOH was announced among the 11 best stands at the Exhibition out of over 150 Organizations that exhibited during the EXPO. We are expecting a higher position this year, especially with the presence of the Information Officer who was not yet there during the EXPO last year.

Networking

We managed to establish viable networks during the course of the year with CHIPAWO, where we carried out a TV project for children with disabilities; SAFAIDS – we are going to be on TV on a programme designed by SAFAIDS; UNICEF; Action-AID; HPZ; CPS; and ZIMNAMH, among others.

Resource materials Accrued for the Advocacy Programme

MS-Copenhagen: We managed to source materials worth $17, 5 million from MS-Copenhagen for the advancement of the advocacy programme. The materials include a grinder with its components and spares which is going to be given to Zimbabwe National League of the Blind for the benefit of the visually impaired in their projects. A wood thickening machine is going to be given to Zimbabwe National Association of the Deaf, for the benefit of the hearing impaired. A mobile water pump and sprinkler is going to be given to ZIMCARE, for the benefit of the mentally challenged. This is purely advocacy, alongside our stance that disability is not inability and a move from the welfare approach to a sustainable approach.

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