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Standing up to curb violence against women, children
Linsay Cathey, Daily Courier
August 31, 2011

A Zimbabwean man who specializes in curbing male violence against women and children has joined the Women's Crisis Support Team for the next four months.

Nixon Nembaware is working with the WCST Violence Prevention Education team and has been making introductory visits to local high schools and middle schools since his arrival in the United Sates on Aug 19.

Nembaware hails from Harare, Zimbabwe, and has five years of working experience working on development projects, including three years focusing on gender and masculinity. With the education team, he's currently developing a curriculum that boys at each of the schools will study once a week.

"At home and here there is domestic violence," Nembaware said. "We really have to work with men and boys everywhere. At home, we have our traditional values and beliefs which might be different because of the context, but men have to stand up and work with women as allies against violence."

As programm director for Padare Men's Forum on Gender in his hometown, his primary responsibilities include engaging men to redefine an image for Zimbabwean men that curbs male violence against women and children.

He has worked as an activist and organizer, creating a "Men's March Against Male Violence on Women" in 2009.

"Working with WCST is a great opportunity to both give and take," Nembaware said. "I will have the rare opportunity to share with others my Zimbabwean experience of working with men boys to end violence, while at the same time taking the same time taking good practices that will enhance the work we are doing in Zimbabwe back with when I return in December.

The WCST is the primary domestic violence and sexual assault intervention, prevention and safe shelter organization in Joesphine County.

Nembaware was the recipient of the organization's newly developed International Community Solutions Fellowship. The fellowship is a professional development program supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S Department of State.

The fellowship supports four months of residence at a community-based, non profit or civil society organization where fellowship recipients work with community leaders o social challenges related to the participants' community activities.

The WCST was chosen as a Community Solution host site based on the organization's ongoing violence prevention and community building efforts that engage youth, in particular young men.

"We are honored to join other nonprofits and community organizations across the U. S in hosting a Community Solutions Fellow," said Krisana Albrecht, WCST executive director. "The comprehensive approach to violence intervention and prevention provided by the WCST will provide an active, energizing environment for Nixon to participate and contribute."

According to Albrecht, Nembaware was a perfect match for the organization.

"This placement is a mutually beneficial partnership and we are excited to have him joining us," she added. "In addition to working with our violence prevention team in are schools, we hope community organizations and social groups across Josephine County will be interested in having Nixon share his work and energy with them during his day.

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