Peace building capacitation for PWDs a success for Matabeleland South
September 3, 2022
Nontobeko Sibanda and Promise Dube
Choice News Africa
Gwanda – Nkomwa Foundation Trust has again this week partnered the Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum Zimbabwe in capacitating the PWDs in Matabeleland South Province, in a workshop that was held under the theme, Promoting Peace and Reducing Gender based violence to PWDs.
According to NFT Founder Pick, the main thrust of the workshop was to capacitate PWDs and caregivers on conflict prevention management, resolution, transformation, healing and how to reduce gender related conflict, as gender based violence is a conflict driver.
Gender based violence is very common among PWDs and in most cases they suffer in silence. The most prevalent causes of GBV are religious and cultural beliefs, forced marriages and abuse within families. Nkomwa also told Choice News Africa that, “One in three women aged between 15 and 49 in Zimbabwe and about 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual violence, since the age of 15(ZDHS; 2015).
The Zimbabwean Constitution adopted in 2013, section 52 has provisions safeguarding the rights to bodily and psychological integrity including the right to freedom from all forms of violence public and private.” He said.
“The workshop was inclusive as it drew people from all walks of life. The participants included people with disabilities, caregivers, government officials from Ministry Of Local Government, Ministry Of Women Affairs, Ministry Of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry Of Home Affairs And Ministry Of Youth, Community Based Organisations and Disability Champions from Matobo, Beitbridge and Umzingwane district just to mention but a few,” added Nkomwa.
People with disabilities are affected by a range of sensory, physical, psychological and intellectual impairment. It is against this background that Nkomwa Foundation organised the workshop with Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum of Zimbabwe officials.
Facilitators were Mrs Wandile Masuku and Ms Pamhidzai Thaka. The participants were taught on peace building, gender based violence and ways to deal with it. Participants learnt that conflicts are normal, inevitable and are necessary in the community but there should be ways of handling them which are non-violent, like use of dialogues, mediation, facilitation and conflict analysis.
Speaking during the workshop, one of the ECLF facilitators Ms. Pamhidzai Thaka said, “People must heal from their past experiences that may end up causing bitterness within them and end up abusing other people leaving around them.”
She highlighted that people come from different backgrounds and it is normal that they experience conflict, but violence is unacceptable. She said conflicts are necessary as they clarify issues and also that they give opportunity to help each other as a community.
Conflict becomes destructive if handled in a negative way using force, intimidation and violence. She also encouraged participants to have joint problem ways of resolving conflicts.
Ms Pamhidzai Thaka who is a Gender Justice and Social Inclusion Manager stated that as Ecumenical Church leaders Forum their main aim is to promote peaceful co-existence in the disability community.
“We want the disability community to gain skills on how to manage conflicts and to reduce gender based violence “said Ms Thaka.
She continued to state that they have high hopes on the outcomes of the workshop as they foresee confident and resilient societies of people with disabilities in future.
Gwanda Acting District Development coordinator, Mr Thulani Moyo expressed gratitude to NFT for dedication in inclusive programmes and impacting Gwanda societies and the Province at large with the knowledge and amplifying the voice of PWDs.
“Disability inclusion is now at the centre of community development. The active participation indicates a lot to my office hence the need for more support to NFT. Many thanks to the partners for collaborating with NFT on this topical issues that affects PWDs.” He added.
He also applauded ECLF for their peacebuilding programme which is very critical in the district. The participants appreciated the knowledge gained. Mr Whiteman Moyo said the workshop was insightful and said, as PWDs they learnt a lot.
“The information gained will be a tool to my work as a community disability facilitator in the Matobo district. As a caregiver, this Workshop opened my eyes. I was not aware of how conflict affects, how to deal with it as well as in depth information about Gender based violence. I am very thankful to NFT team for remarkable impact to our lives as parents and PWDs. A lot has been gained and I am ready to share with my fellow villagers in Gwanda Ward 3,” said Agnes Dube.
NFT founder also concluded by thanking both participants and facilitators, for their efforts in making the workshop a success.
“GBV in the disability constituency is very topical. I am grateful that all went well and participants benefited. I am thankful to all stakeholders who took their time to be part of this training. Partnership and collaboration is key to our programming. More trainings are on the cards. I say arise PWDs and let your voices be heard,” concluded Pick Nkomwa, NFT Director.
