By SHEIZA MUPAIKWA

IN A trailblazing move that is aimed at engaging men in family planning issues, prolific poet-cum artiste Albert Nyathi,  is working  hard  to promote increased male involvement in family planning  decision-making processes through events, social media campaigns, and advocacy work

Nyathi is the Male Motivator of Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC).

Despite the challenges faced by the ZNFPC, including financial constraints, Nyathi and the Brand ambassador, Adiona Maboreke remain committed to achieving the organisation’s ambitious goals and promoting widespread acceptance of family planning among men.

“Ambassador Adiona Maboreke and myself are prepared and committed to go all the way to ensure that the organisation’s ambitions are achieved”, Nyathi said.

“With a message of mutual understanding and cooperation,  we are challenging traditional gender roles and seeking to redefine family planning as a joint effort between men and women.”

In his efforts to increase male engagement in family planning, Nyathi is using various platforms and mediums, such as social media, to educate and encourage men to support their partners in making informed decisions regarding their reproductive health.

Our dedication to promoting family planning and engaging with men is evident at national events that include the  Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and the Agricultural Show,

“We had the opportunity to reach out to  a wide range of audiences with our message.”

Nyathi  attributed understanding of the role of social media in reaching out to a younger demographic as the trigger to  its use as a means of spreading awareness on  the importance of family planning, particularly among the  most active in reproductive activity.

Despite ZNFPC’s ambitious goals, financial limitations have necessitated the organisation’s focus on social media as a cost-effective method of promoting family planning,

Nyathi and Maboreke have resorted  to achieving the organisation’s objectives through creative solutions IN breaking down traditional barriers in family planning.

AN UNWAVERING commitment to liberation struggle founding values and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision has forced the Zimbabwe War Victims Association (ZWVA) founder, Vongai Mutokoti to launch the War Victims and Survivors Association of Zimbabwe (WVSAZ).

During a press conference held in Harare today, Mutokoti also said Mnangagwa has outshone other African leaders in initiating programmes that address victims of the liberation struggles’ plight.

Mutokoti said her new organisation will exclusively cater for victims and survivors who like herself were  bombed and maimed, young children who were  orphaned and widows who suffered during the war among others.

“To war victims and survivors we will work tirelessly to provide assistance, advocate for your rights and create programmes that contribute to your healing and well-being.

The realisation that there were deviant members in the ZWVA leadership, had forced her to make the hard decision to abandon the organisation she had founded, she said.

 “During the association’s development, certain members whom I believed shared the same vision with myself decided to take a different path.

“With the advent of the new dispensation and the coming into office of His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as  chairperson I felt that there was a need to align our vision and objectives to the goals to the president’s vision, NDS1 and Vision 2030.

“However, my fellow colleagues and other outlying leadership of the Zimbabwe War Victims Association  felt differently which was our point of departure

She said the WVSAZ was, in alignment with Mnangagwa’s vision, an initiative whose roots were anchored on a deep-seated desire to recognise and transform the lives of those who were at the brunt of the liberation war.

She expressed her concern on the activities of deviant war veterans who were double dipping in an organisation that was created specifically for the needs of victims and survivors of the liberation struggle.

“With the current leadership of the association as it is I have discovered an intention to morph the association to  also cater for the benefits of the war veterans as well.

“While I am not opposed to the welfare of war veterans, I believe it will put too much pressure on the government and fiscus if one Ministry is already catering for  war veterans and the association take on the same job.”

She implored  all stakeholders including government, civil society organisations and international partners to come on board and work with her organisation.

Mutokoti, was amputated at the age of 14 following a landmine explosion in 1976.

But that was not a deterrent, her outstanding work in the coomunity has led to the conferment of the Independence Medal by Mnangagwa.

ZIMBABWE War Victims Association (ZWVA) founder, Vongai Mutokoti’s trailblazing journey in empowering people who were disabled during liberation war is an inspiration to many leaders in the community.

Mutokoti, was amputated at the age of 14 following a landmine explosion in 1976.

But that was not a deterrent, her outstanding work has led to the conferment of the Independence Medal by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mutokoti told Zim Community News that ZWVA is there to engage the government and other stakeholders on issues to do with liberation war victims.

“Our government is helping to integrate our constituency into the mainstream economy through various initiatives that include self-sustaining and nation building programmes,” she said.

Mutokoti does not hide her joy on the role Mnangagwa’s government has played in empowering her constituency through various projects that are spread around the country.

Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy of Zimbabwe in 2021.

The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare’s National Director of Disability Affairs oversees the implementation of the disability policy.

“The Second Republic has improved the welfare of people living with disabilities as a result of the war of liberation.

“Most of them are benefiting from the various livelihood programmes that have been initiated under the able leadership of President Mnangagwa.”

The association has also benefitted from piggery projects initiated by the government in Midlands, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces among others.

“We are expecting goats projects soon, currently we are busy constructing chicken houses every individual will be given 1 000 birds to rear.

To cap it all government has provided chicken feed and linked them with buyers of the chicken .

“We are also benefitting from the President State Lotteries Fund and have undergone business training workshops.

She added that she also supported government’s efforts in capacitating disabled people in the country.

“We have our colleagues who are disabled but not through war they have been capacitated in the education sector some of them are now doctors and lawyers.”

“When a country is united we achieve more, we  don’t want people who create divisions for personal  gain.”