SUSTAINABILITY BASED ON GOVERNANCE AT CGCDZ
In spite of the diversity of governance models around the world, the concept of independence plays a prominent role in most, if not all, codes of governance globally as an intrinsic component of good board structure. CGCDZ’s board is at the core of its corporate governance. The Board play a pivotal role which encompasses advisory and control functions. This includes among others oversight role, providing strategic
direction and risk/control, monitoring and reward of executive management.
At a more overarching level, though operating as a non-profit making organisation the agency theory suggests that one of the key roles of the board is to serve as an agent protecting the interests of various stakeholders vis-à-vis the organisation’s management. This reflects a duty of care to support the organization’s long-term success and sustainable value creation and to ensure the alignment of interests between management, donors/funders, and community partners taking into account stakeholder interests (such as government) as well.
Despite being a ‘learning’ organisation, CGCDZ realized the importance of governance issues and through the support of its funders, it held a 4-day workshop in developing its own Governance Manual. The workshop was successfully facilitated by Doctor S Mashamba and both Secretariat and Board were present.
The relationship between gender and governance has too often been neglected in development work. Acknowledging “gender” and its implications appears to have become formulaic in policy articulation and execution pertaining to a range of political, social and economic issues at local, regional and global levels. However, CGCDZ being a gender sensitive organisation which has a bias towards women has a Board comprising of 4 women and 3 males. Women spearhead different Board Committees within CGCDZ. The monitoring aspect of the organization by the Board is done by the designated sub-committees namely, Human resources, Finance, Programming and the Legal committee responsible for advising the Board and organization on legal related matters. The oversight role by the Board has enabled transparency and accountability on the part of management.
In spite of the diversity of governance
models around the world, the concept of independence plays a prominent role in
most, if not all, codes of governance globally as an intrinsic component of
good board structure. CGCDZ’s board
is at the core of its corporate governance. Boards play a range of advisory and
control functions. This includes among others oversight role, providing strategic
direction and risk/control, monitoring and reward of executive management.
At a more overarching level, though operating as a
non-profit making organisation the agency theory suggests that one of the key
roles of the board is to serve as an agent protecting the interests of various
stakeholders vis-à-vis organisation’s management. This reflects a duty of care
to support the organisation’s long-term success and sustainable value creation
and to ensure the alignment of interests between management, donors/funders, community
partners—taking into account stakeholder interests (such as government) as
well.
Despite being a ‘young’ organisation, CGCDZ realized the importance of governance issues and through the support of its funders it held a 4-day workshop in developing its own Governance Manual. The workshop was successfully facilitated by Doctor S Mushamba and both Secretariat and Board were present.
The relationship between gender and governance has too often been neglected in development work. Acknowledging “gender” and its implications appears to have become formulaic in policy articulation and execution pertaining to a range of political, social and economic issues at local, regional and global levels. However, CGCDZ being a gender sensitive organisation which has a bias towards women has a Board comprising of 4 women and 3 males. Women spearhead different Board Committees within CGCDZ. The monitoring aspect on the organization by the Board is done by the designated sub-committees namely, Human resources, Finance, Programming and the Legal committee responsible for advising the Board and organization on legal related matters. The oversight role by the Board has enabled transparency and accountability on the part of management.
Cooperatives in Action
In the picture above, are women from Tagona cooperative during pre-registration training that was undertaken by Munyaradzi Rubaya CGCDZ Board Chair. Tagona Cooperative was established in 1996 as the brain child of thirteen women in ward 15 of Bikita district in Masvingo province. The cooperative started with the women renting space at Pamushana Township, while engaging in traditional methods of peanut butter making. After realizing some proceeds from their trade they embarked on building a structure, thanks to the US Ambassador’s Self Help Fund which supported their project through the provision of machinery to make peanut butter.
Below are some of the testimonies from the women members of the cooperative and community members who directly benefited from the establishment of the cooperative
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“At one point in time I had two thousand dollars in my personal account with a local commercial bank in Masvingo realised from the sale of peanut butter while working for Tagona cooperative”.
My name is Muchadudza Dzimati, I am 70 years old and live in Chiduwa village in Bikita. I am a member of Tagona Cooperative since its inception in 1996. The cooperative transformed my family income during the period 1996 to 2007. I bought five cattle, ten goats, send my children to boarding school and built a standard house under zinc. Business was flourishing such that we had ready markets at Pamushana High School, Silveira hospital, Silveira High School and Ndanga Hospital.
The cooperative produced 100 litres of peanut butter (dovi) a day. However, after the introduction of the multi-currency system in 2009, all the cooperatives’ savings were swept and to date there is a crippling electricity debt of eight hundred dollars United states dollars that has crippled operations. However, CGCDZ facilitated in the payment of the debt and operations have normalized
My name is Pindai Chiduwa from Marozva Village in Bikita District of Masvingo Province. I am a married woman aged 54 years. I joined the Tagona Peanut Butter Cooperative from inception in 1996 and l am the Chairperson of the Cooperative. When we started we were renting space and using traditional methods of making peanut butter. The process was slow and labor intensive resulting in us failing to meet demand in some cases. We then decided to secure our own stand and completed the building around 1998. We received a donation of machinery (sheller, grinder) from the Ambassador’s Self Help Fund.
After the donation we embarked on producing large quantities of peanut butter which we sold to the local community, Pamushana High School, Silveira High School and Hospital and as far as Ndanga Hospital. We secured ground nuts from local farmers and also from as far as Buhera which is over a hundred kilometers away. Upon realizing that our business was growing big we then hatched the concept of contract farming, where local farmers would be allocated seed and fertilizer and then would sell the groundnuts to Tagona Cooperative. The concept was however not implemented due to capacity challenges.
As a member of Tagona cooperative l was able to improve my family’s standard of living since we could afford decent meals, pay school fees and buy clothing for my five children. I also managed to buy goats from proceeds from the cooperative.
The Cooperative is currently defunct owing to an electricity debt of close to US$800. Once this debt is offset we can resume operations and become a force to reckon with in food processing. We are also encountering such capacity challenges as:
· Limited entrepreneurship training
· Limited bookkeeping skills
· Limited marketing skills
Zvamahande Ebenezar-Cooperative (Zvamahande ward 33)
“Water was a scarce resource in Zvamahande that we would walk about 2kilometeres to fetch water for domestic and garden use. I’m grateful CGCDZ intervened by drilling and installing a solar powered borehole for the cooperative and the community at large. Due to availability of water the cooperative is now able to venture into horticulture projects. The garden produce is contributing towards household income and household dietary diversity as households are able to grow vegetables all year round.” said Eslina Madzvamuse (Zvamahende-Ebenezar Chairperson)
Rugare noRuenzaniso Cooperative
“I am thankful to CGCDZ for supporting our Cooperative in epi-culture. The organization provided training and procured 60 beehives from which we’re getting health benefits and income from selling honey.” remarked Walter Manasa (Rugare noRuenzaniso secretary).
My name is Angeline Ranganai aged 62 years. I live in Marozva village in Bikita. I joined Tagona Cooperative in 1996 and was among the 13 founders of the cooperative. I benefited from the cooperative since l could manage to send my children to school and buy kitchen ware. I also bought goats which have now multiplied to more than ten. My greatest challenge came when we had to come home late and my husband would not understand that. We would quarrel and at one point he even threatened to stop me from being a member of the cooperative. He however softened when l started bringing in some income from the cooperative.
My name is Slivia Ngwaru from Marozva Village. I am aged 64 and joined the cooperative at inception. The cooperative started off with challenges of lack of support from our spouses who in most cases threatened to close the cooperative. We were saved by the chief who summoned our husbands to his court and told them to support our initiative. Despite these challenges we soldiered on until we constructed our own building. I personally benefited a lot from the cooperative because l learnt to live in harmony with others and also to share my experiences with other women. Income from the business venture has also changed my life.
My name is Veronica Mujinga and l am 56 years old. I live in Marozva village. My family’s life improved greatly as a result of my membership to the cooperative. I could afford to send my children to school well clothed and fed. I also managed to buy kitchen utensils and livestock from the proceeds from the cooperative.
Citizen Engagement
The citizen engagement thematic area delves in raising awareness of citizens on their constitutional rights through civic education on governance and democracy processes. Examples of intervention include
- Constitutional Awareness trainings
- Leadership and Advocacy
- Meet your Councilor Dialogues on service delivery issues.
CGCDZ’s Constitutional Awareness training focuses on Section 59 of the Rural District Councils Act, which mandates every ward to establish a Ward Development Committee (WDC).
Section 59 (1) states that, “for each ward of a council area, there shall be a committee, to be known as a ward development committee, consisting of
(a) the councilor for the ward, who shall be the chairman of the committee; and
(b) the chairman and secretary of every village development committee and neighborhood development committee in the ward: Provided that, in the case of a ward in which there is neither a village development committee nor a neighborhood development committee, the Minister shall appoint persons to the ward development committee from a list of names prepared by the councilor for the ward.” CGCDZ advocates for women inclusion in the ward development committees.
Mashava King Mine Constitutional Awareness Training
Above, Claries Nyoka (community human rights defender) leading a discussion on constitutional rights and women political participation.
Renco Mine Constitutional Awareness Training
CGCDZ conducting a constitutional awareness meeting in Renco mine on duties and responsibilities of local authority in rural areas as enshrined in section 275 and 276 of the constitution of Zimbabwe.
