CCCD partners with local school on a SRHR programme

Young people at Thomas Rudland
Primary School

The Creative Centre for Communication and Development is partnering with Thomas Rudland primary school in Queens Park East suburb in Bulawayo to implement a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) programme targeting young people at the school. The training targets 50 children aged between 6 and 13 years. 
The purpose of the training is to promote positive approaches to sexuality and achieve comprehensive sexuality education for young people. Implementation of the programme is done through the school’s Health Club and Scripture Union. This enables us to take a holistic approach and address the heart, mind and soul.
This SRHR programme is in line with the Maputo Plan of Action for Universal Access to comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Africa. The plan of action states that Reproductive Health encompasses the whole lifespan of an individual from conception to old age as such SRH services should be provided to all who need them including young people.
The programme was designed after a realisation that most SRHR programmes in the country use scare tactics to educate and provide SRHR information to young people. Under this programme young people will be connected to SRH services and information to enable them to make informed choices.

Citizen Journalism redefines communication

Participants who took
part in the Citizen
Journalism training

The just concluded Citizen Journalism training has opened new avenues for women and girls in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe to use the power of information and communication technologies to reshape, rethink and redefine communication.
The 21 day training that started on May 6, 2013 and ended on June 21, 2013 availed information and communication technologies, including internet training and access, to disadvantaged women and girls so that they actively participate in setting the global agenda.
The training was attended by 24 women and girls and four men. The average age for the participants was 33 years with the youngest aged 18 years and the oldest aged 65 years. Two participants had tertiary qualifications while six participants had gone to school up to Zimbabwe junior certificate and 20 had gone up to Ordinary Level. The participants were drawn from Kingsdale (19), Queens Park (7), Cowdry Park (1) and Saurcetown (1) within a radius of 40 kilometres from Montgomery Hall where we are located.
Recent strides in the development and diffusion of communication technologies has contributed to the shift in the power to shape local and global views and perspectives from government, opinion leaders, government and trained journalists to ordinary citizen who have access to the internet and have an opinion. The training emphasised on empowering ordinary citizens to report on what is happening around them.
Participants in the training learned how to use a computer, write news and blog on the World Wide Web. All trainees opened new emails, created personal blogs and shared news with a global community of what is happening in their community.
Trainees wrote 36 stories that covered issues related to HIV/AIDS, Gender Based Violence, violence against women, crime, poverty, HIV/AIDS and child abuse. The writers blogged the stories on Pulsewire, an interactive space where women worldwide, including those using Internet cafés in rural areas, can speak for ourselves to the world and collaborate to solve global problems.

New Equipment Augments Sustainability Plan

Resources Mobilisation activities for the Creative Centre for Communication and Development have been enhanced thanks to some newly acquired equipment. The equipment will form a key component in rolling out the organisation’s three year Resources Mobilisation Strategy.
A Canon EOS 40D digital camera and Acer DLP 3D projector were purchased using savings that accrued from a grant awarded to the organisation by the African Women Development Fund. The equipment will be used to improve the quality of services offered by the organisation. This will aid the organisation to deliver its mission, increase the organisation’s financial base and diversify its sources of income.
The organisation’s Resources Mobilisation primary focus is growth while visibility and sustainability form its secondary focus. The strategy details tactics to adopt, priorities to consider and ways to maximise resources mobilisation efforts that propel the organisation toward achieving its strategic goals.
To date the equipment has been used during trainings, to document the organisation’s activities and facilitate fundraising events.